Shubman Gill Prioritizes Team Success Over Personal Goals in IPL 2026

In a pre-season press conference, the Gujarat captain Gill emphasised that his personal goals revolve around making his team win, whether it's for his country or for Gujarat in the IPL.

"I don't focus too much on personal goals. For me, it's all about the team I'm playing for, whether it's my country or the Gujarat Titans in the IPL. My personal goal is simple - I want the team to win. That's where my focus lies," Gill stated.

The 2026 IPL season will see the Titans aiming for yet another successful campaign, and Gill made it clear that his objective was to win the prestigious IPL trophy. He further mentioned that while personal goals are important, they change with every tournament.

"Whether it's playing in the IPL or an international series, the objective is always to win. I don't have personal goals in the traditional sense, but my focus shifts with each tournament. Right now, it's to win the IPL trophy, and once that's over, my goals will adjust to whatever comes next," he added.

Gill also spoke out against the IPL's Impact Player rule, expressing his belief that it compromises the essence of the game. Speaking about the impact of the rule, Gill stated that cricket is best played as an 11-player sport.

The Impact Player rule was introduced in the IPL in 2023. It allows teams to substitute one player during a match from four named substitutes, giving them tactical flexibility to replace a batsman, bowler, or all-rounder based on match situations.

"Personally, I don't think there should be an impact player in the game. Cricket, to me, is an 11-player sport, and on the kinds of wickets and grounds we play on, adding an extra batsman takes away from the skill of the game," Gill said.

Gill emphasised that when a team's batters are limited in number, the game requires skilful batting to keep the scoreboard moving and to recover from a loss of wickets.

"When you have a certain number of batters, and a couple get out, there's a skill required to keep the scoreboard ticking and help the team reach a good score. Adding one more player makes the game more one-dimensional and reduces that skill aspect," Gill said.

"For me, chasing 180 on a challenging wicket is far more exciting than chasing 220 on a flat wicket. It's going to be part of the game until 2027, and we did discuss it during the captains' meeting yesterday," he added.

Gill admitted understanding the rule's purpose of enhancing the entertainment of the game, but clarified that, personally, he does not like it. "I understand it adds entertainment value, but ultimately, it's up to the BCCI to decide. Personally, though, I don't like it," he concluded.

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 KKR will begin their campaign against five-time IPL champions Mumbai Indians at the iconic Wankhede Stadium on March 29.

- ANI