The head coach of Gujarat Titans, Ashish Nehra, acknowledged the formidable task of replacing versatile player Hardik Pandya. Despite the difficulties, Nehra expressed confidence in Shubman Gill to assume a leadership role in the upcoming IPL season. Pandya recently rejoined the Mumbai Indians and has been named the captain of the five-time champions. In a virtual post-auction press meeting, Nehra stated,

“To replace a player like Hardik Pandya is difficult considering his talent and experience. We have seen how he (Gill) has shaped up in the past three-four years. He is 24-25 years of age but he has a good head on his shoulders.”

Nehra emphasized the franchise’s unwavering support for Gill, regardless of the results in the upcoming IPL edition.

“We believe in him. That is why we made him captain. I am not someone who will always go by results. Yes, results are important, but when you come to captaincy, you have to look at other things also. We are confident that Gill is the right person (for captaincy),” Nehra added.

During the auction, the Titans engaged in a competitive battle to acquire Mitchell Starc, who was eventually purchased by the Kolkata Knight Riders for a record Rs 24.75 crore. Nehra expressed satisfaction with the acquisition, stating,

“There’s nothing like being overpriced in the IPL. Everybody knows what Starc can do. He is a proven player. We needed a fast bowler, and every team had different strategies. We have to be satisfied with what we have. For a bowler like Starc, I don’t think that is a surprise.”

Mark Boucher, the head coach of Mumbai Indians, expressed delight at the pace attack assembled during the auction. The team secured South African quick Gerald Coetzee and Sri Lanka’s left-arm pacer Dilshan Madhushanka. Boucher praised Coetzee as a young and promising talent and highlighted Madhushanka’s abilities as a three-phase bowler.

Delhi Capitals’ head coach, Ricky Ponting, expressed excitement about working with the aggressive England middle-order batter Harry Brook, who was acquired for Rs 4 crore. Ponting regarded Brook as one of the most talented international cricketers and emphasized his importance in this year’s auction.

Andy Flower, the head coach of Royal Challengers Bangalore, pinned his hopes on experienced Mohammed Siraj to lead the team’s pace battery in the next IPL. Flowers highlighted Siraj’s fitness and form as crucial to the team’s success. Additionally, Flower mentioned that Australian all-rounder Cameron Green would bolster RCB’s batting order with his power, although the exact batting position is yet to be decided.

In the realm of this team, guided by a youthful visionary of 24, shall reside the likes of seasoned warriors; the likes of Rashid Khan, David Miller, Mohammed Shami, Matthew Wade, and various other distinguished individuals.

The franchise, with bated breath, revealed its grand proclamation on the digital platform known as X previously recognized as Twitter casting it into the virtual realm on the glorious Monday of anticipation.

“Shubman Gill has really grown in the last two years, both as a player and a leader in cricket. His skills have made a big impact, helping Gujarat Titans do well in 2022 and continue strong in 2023,” said Vikram Solanki, Director of Cricket, Gujarat Titans.

“He shows maturity and skill on the field, and we’re thrilled to start a new chapter with Shubman leading the way,” he added.

Gill said on the announcement: “I am delighted and proud to assume the Captaincy of Gujarat Titans and thank the franchise for their trust in me to lead such a fine team. We have had two exceptional seasons and I keenly look forward to leading the team with our exciting brand of cricket.”

In India’s last Cricket World Cup 2023 league match against the Netherlands, Shubman Gill and Rohit Sharma made a strong start by aiming for boundaries right from the beginning. Choosing to bat first, India had a clear plan to score a high total. Gill’s impressive six in the third over, hitting Aryan Dutt straight down the ground and reaching the roof of M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, left even Rohit amazed.

Despite the Netherlands being out of contention for the semi-finals, India, with eight consecutive wins, aimed for a stylish 9th World Cup victory. Both teams maintained the same playing XI for the match.

After winning the toss, Rohit simply stated, “We’re going to bat. No specific reason. We’ve performed well whether batting or bowling first. Another opportunity to play well today and cover all aspects. Extremely pleased with our performance in this tournament. The same team continues.”

Netherlands captain Scott Edwards mentioned he would have chosen to bat first as well. “We would have batted too. The pitch looks good, and it’s a good ground for chasing. We’ve had ups and downs, but we’re aiming for a good performance today. This is the biggest crowd we’ve had in the tournament, looking forward to the atmosphere. India has been flawless, and we need to be at our best. A World Cup in India is a significant event. Winning those games has been crucial for us. Our lineup remains the same,” he added.

Pakistan’s captain, Babar Azam, is now only six rating points ahead in the ODI Batting Rankings. India’s Shubman Gill and other players in great form at the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup are closing in on him. Despite scoring 157 runs in five innings during the ongoing World Cup, Babar’s rating has dropped by 829 points. His most recent performance was a strong 74 runs against Afghanistan in Chennai, even though his team lost.

On the other hand, Shubman Gill has scored 95 runs in just three matches for India, and he now has 823 rating points, thanks to his remarkable knock of 53 against Bangladesh in Pune. Gill isn’t the only player challenging Babar’s top ranking. South Africa’s opener, Quinton de Kock, is in third place in the ODI batting rankings after scoring three incredible centuries at the World Cup. His teammate Heinrich Klaasen has moved up to fourth place with a new career-high rating. Virat Kohli and David Warner share fifth place after delivering strong performances in India.

Daryl Mitchell, a reliable middle-order batter from New Zealand, has jumped 16 places to 13th overall with 268 runs from four innings at the World Cup. In the ODI bowler rankings, Australia’s Josh Hazlewood remains in the lead, but India’s Mohammed Siraj is a close second after taking six wickets in five World Cup matches. South Africa’s Keshav Maharaj is in third place with a new career-high rating after securing seven wickets at the tournament. Afghanistan’s Mohammad Nabi and Australia’s Adam Zampa also made significant progress in the top 10.

Bangladesh’s captain, Shakib Al Hasan, continues to lead the ODI rankings for all-rounders, while South Africa’s Marco Jansen has made a big leap, moving up 23 places to share 11th place with Scotland’s Michael Leask.