Sai Sudharsan Hails Shubman Gill as "One of the Great Captains"

He noted that Gill understands his players' needs and creates a comfortable, relaxed team environment, which helps individuals feel valued and perform at their best. Sudharsan added that this ability makes Gill one of the finest captains he has played under.

"Shubman Gill is a very trustworthy person, and he's instinctive too. He understands his players and understands what the players require. He makes the player comfortable in an environment. And I feel that's the greatest ability of a skipper, where the player has to feel that he belongs to the team. And the player has to be relaxed. So I think he does that very well, and he's one of the great captains I have played under," Sai Sudharsan told ANI.

GT made their IPL debut in 2022 and won the crown that year. In the following year, they reached the final but suffered a defeat against the Chennai Super Kings (CSK). With their sights set on a second IPL title, the Gujarat Titans head into the 2026 season under the leadership of Shubman Gill.

The India Test and ODI captain, who has been at the helm since 2024, will be eager to turn things around after GT missed the playoffs in 2024 and suffered an eliminator exit in IPL 2025.

Sudharsan described the IPL as one of the best platforms for Indian cricketers, highlighting how it provides exposure to high-quality competition. He believes this exposure helps players identify areas of improvement and is a key reason behind India's rise as a powerhouse in T20 cricket.

"IPL is one of the greatest platforms, which any cricketer can get. I feel that's the reason why India is also becoming a powerhouse in T20. Because a lot of people have so much exposure to the quality, so that we understand what we have to improve and get better at," he added.

IPL 2026 is set to kick off from March 28, with the defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) set to take on the Sunrisers Hyderabad, while GT will face Punjab Kings (PBKS) in their first game of the IPL 2026 season on March 31 in Mullanpur.

- ANI