Dig at Hardik Pandya? Shubman Gill says "Loyalty" is one factor of captaincy after becoming GT captain ahead of IPL 2024

Shubman Gill will take over as GT captain in IPL 2024 from Hardik Pandya who has been traded to MI.

Newly appointed Gujarat Titans skipper Shubman Gill is excited at the chance of captaining the IPL 2022 champions and expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to lead the team in the upcoming IPL 2024 season. He will take over from Hardik Pandya, who has now been traded to Mumbai Indians at his request.

Gill reflected on his path from a teenage cricket fan to the captain of an IPL franchise, describing it as the fulfillment of a childhood goal. Gill emphasized the need for commitment, discipline, hard effort, and loyalty as crucial leadership characteristics.

“I think it’s gonna take, like, probably till the time we don’t play the first match. Uh, it’s not gonna, you know, quite sink in. It’s a great feeling. I mean, I was about seven or eight years old when you know IPL started happening. Obviously, it’s a dream for any kid who wants to be a cricketer and wants to play the IPL to be able to captain a team. Then to be able to be that kind of binding factor in this team, it feels amazing.

I mean, we all know captainship comes, uh, with a lot of things, and commitment is one of them. Discipline is one of them. Hard work is one of them. Loyalty is one of them,” Shubman Gill said in a video posted by Gujarat Titans.

Shubman Gill boasts of a wonderful record in the IPL. He has 2790 runs in 91 matches with 3 centuries and 18 fifties to his name. He averages 37.70 and has a strike rate of 134.7. Gill has hit 273 fours and 80 sixes in the IPL tournament thus far.

Captaincy comes with lots of things – Commitment, Discipline and Loyalty are a few of them: Shubman Gill

The Punjab lad joined Gujarat Titans in IPL 2022 after he was released by Kolkata Knight Riders, where he played as a finisher. In IPL 2022, he scored 483 runs with 4 fifties to his name. But his breakout season came in IPL 2023, where he amassed 890 runs with 3 centuries at a strike rate of 157.80 and an average of 59.33.

The new captain also acknowledged the presence of veteran players in the team, such as Kane Williamson, Rashid Khan, Mohammad Shami, and David Miller, whom he believes would be essential in directing the team while also providing an opportunity for him to develop.

“And because I think I’ve played under great leaders and I’ve learned a lot from them, I think those learnings that I have had from their experience playing under them is gonna help me a lot in this IPL. We have great leaders in our team, be it Kane or be it Rashid bhai or be it Shami bhai, or even, David. think it’s gonna be uh, great. And obviously there are gonna be a lot of learnings along the way, which would be my experience as a captain. And I see a lot of people making great memories,” Gill added.

Watch the video here:

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