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GT's Top Order Must Fire, Says Aakash Chopra After IPL Defeat to PBKS

Aakash Chopra has highlighted the Gujarat Titans' top-order batting as a major concern following their opening IPL loss to the Punjab Kings. He criticized the team's structure in the middle order and pointed to puzzling bowling decisions. Chopra also stated that captain Shubman Gill's leadership "left a bit to be desired." The Titans will look to bounce back in their next match against the Rajasthan Royals.

Key Points: Aakash Chopra Criticizes GT's Top Order, Gill's Captaincy After Loss

  • GT's top-order batting failure
  • Shubman Gill's captaincy questioned
  • PBKS' Cooper Connolly stars with 72*
  • Bowling plans and team selection criticized
  • GT to face RR next
2 min read

"Top three of Gujarat Titans will have to fire": Aakash Chopra after GT's defeat against PBKS

Aakash Chopra says GT's top three must fire and questions Shubman Gill's captaincy after Punjab Kings' win in their IPL opener.

"GT need to rethink how their 4, 5, and 6 are structured. Even the bowling plans were puzzling. - Aakash Chopra"

Chandigarh, April 1

After Gujarat Titans failed in their Indian Premier League 2026 opener against the last season's finalists, Punjab Kings, the cricketer-turned-broadcaster Aakash Chopra believes the top-three batters of GT will have to "fire".

Speaking on Star Sports about the Gujarat Titans' performance, Chopra said, "For Gujarat Titans, the top three will have to fire because they are not giving themselves the opportunity to figure out a different way. Not many would believe it, but Glenn Phillips' 25 is actually his highest score in the IPL so far."

After inviting GT to bat first on Tuesday night, the PBKS restricted them to 162/6 in 20 overs following a brilliant bowling effort from Marco Jansen, Yuzvendra Chahal and Vijaykumar Vyshak. No Gujarat batter crossed the 50-run mark.

The former India cricketer stressed that Phillips and Washington Sundar will have to score with a better strike rate.

"You would want him to contribute more consistently, and Washington Sundar also needs to score at a quicker rate because he seemed a bit stuck. They have continued with Shahrukh Khan, but I felt Kumar Kushagra also had a case for selection."

Punjab's batting unit survived a scare on Tuesday night as Cooper Connolly guided the team to a three-wicket win with an unbeaten 72-run knock.

Chopra also criticised the captaincy of GT skipper Shubman Gill and said his leadership was 'left a bit to be desired'.

"GT need to rethink how their 4, 5, and 6 are structured. Even the bowling plans were puzzling. Siraj still had two overs left when the game was almost done, and Prasidh Krishna was brought in quite late. Overall, Shubman Gill's captaincy also left a bit to be desired," he said.

Now, the Gujarat Titans will host the Rajasthan Royals at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Saturday, whereas the Punjab Kings will take on the Chennai Super Kings at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Friday.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

S
Sarah B
As a neutral fan, it was a great game! Cooper Connolly's knock was special. But GT's bowling changes were indeed confusing. Why save Siraj? The captaincy needs to be sharper under pressure.
P
Priyanka N
It's just the first match, yaar! Too much analysis too soon. Let the team settle. Shubman is a young captain, he will learn. The real test is how they bounce back against RR. 💪
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Aman W
The middle order is a bigger worry for me. Who is the finisher? Shahrukh Khan hasn't been consistent. Maybe they should give a chance to Kumar Kushagra like Chopra said. Need Indian batters to step up.
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Michael C
Respectfully, I think the criticism of Gill is a bit harsh for one game. PBKS bowled very well. Jansen and Chahal are world-class. Sometimes you just get outplayed. The focus should be on the batting approach.
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Kavya N
The problem is the intent. Washington Sundar played too many dot balls. In T20, you can't afford to get "stuck". Either you rotate strike or hit boundaries. The team management needs to have a clear chat about roles.

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