Fantastic captain's knock: Boucher, Chopra captivated wth Gill's blistering display in Hyderabad

ANI April 7, 2025 133 views

Shubman Gill delivered a masterclass performance as Gujarat Titans captain, guiding his team to a convincing victory against Sunrisers Hyderabad. His unbeaten 61 from just 43 deliveries showcased remarkable composure and skill, earning praise from cricket experts Mark Boucher and Aakash Chopra. The young captain's ability to stay calm under pressure and rotate strike effectively was highlighted as a key factor in the team's success. Gill's evolving batting technique, including the addition of new shots like the sweep, signals his growing prowess in the T20 format.

"He never looked like he was panicking at all" - Mark Boucher
New Delhi, April 7: Former cricketers Mark Boucher and Aakash Chopra bestowed praise upon Gujarat Titans skipper Shubman Gill for his captain's knock, which steered his side to a comfortable seven-wicket victory against a struggling Sunrisers Hyderabad in the ongoing edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025. They were speaking on Match Centre Live on JioHotstar.

Key Points

1

Gill anchors Gujarat Titans to comfortable seven-wicket victory

2

Boucher praises captain's composed batting approach

3

Chopra highlights importance of anchor innings in T20 cricket

4

Gill demonstrates improved shot selection and technique

Gujarat completed a hat-trick of wins in the ongoing edition after outwitting the Sunrisers in Hyderabad with an all-round performance and chasing down a paltry 153-run target with a handful of overs to spare.

As Gujarat continues to exude dominance and slowly take strong steps towards bolstering its challenge of making the playoffs, the former Mumbai Indians head coach Boucher was impressed with Gill's calmness throughout the chase.

"They're sitting pretty at the moment, and they'll take a lot of heart from this one as well. It's tough to win away from home these days, especially the way that they won. They were very convincing with the ball -- they did the job a lot better than what I thought the Sunrisers did. They lost their way a little bit up front, but then the captain (Shubman Gill) came through and played a fantastic captain's knock," Boucher said on Kuhl Fans Match Centre Live on JioHotstar..

"He never looked like he was panicking at all, even though he was losing a couple of wickets around him. It's not about the run rate that you have to look at -- it's more about the volume of runs and the calmness with which he batted. It was a great captain's innings, and he'll be ecstatic with this one, especially away from home," he added.

Even though Mohammed Shami and Hyderabad skipper Pat Cummins rattled Gujarat's top order early, Gill remained undaunted and executed a wide array of shots from his armoury. He struck the winning run and went back unbeaten on 61 from 43 deliveries, coming handsomely at a strike rate of 141.86.

While Gill anchored GT to its third successive win and left Hyderabad gobsmacked, the former cricketer turned commentator Aakash Chopra believes the value of such a knock in T20 innings is often undervalued.

"You have to be the anchor. Sometimes, we undervalue the importance of an anchor in a T20 innings because we see so many shots being played. Especially when batting first, you're mentally chasing a 220-plus target. But now, when you're chasing a smaller total in the second innings, on a pitch that's stopping a little bit and you lose two early wickets, then you need this kind of knock -- where you're trying to keep everything along the ground," he said.

While giving an in-depth analysis of Gill's progress as a batter in the format, Aakash pointed out the recent addition of the sweep shot to his arsenal, which allows him to thrive in the opening slot.

"Risk is something you don't want to take too often. Shubman Gill is improving in leaps and bounds. He's added that sweep shot to his armour -- something he didn't use to play earlier. He's got an inside-out beautiful shot. And in the end, it's not just the two points they've walked away with from this game," he added.

Reader Comments

R
Rahul K.
Gill is proving why he's the future of Indian cricket! That sweep shot addition has taken his game to another level. So composed under pressure 👏
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Priya M.
While I agree Gill played well, I think the article overstates Hyderabad's bowling performance. Their field placements were questionable and gave away too many easy singles.
A
Ankit S.
That inside-out shot in the 15th over was pure class! Gill makes batting look so effortless. GT looking strong for playoffs 💪
S
Sanjana P.
Boucher's analysis was spot on. Gill's calmness is what sets him apart from other young players. No wonder he's captaining at such a young age!
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Vikram J.
SRH really needs to sort out their batting order. Can't keep relying on bowlers to defend small totals. But take nothing away from Gill - masterclass innings!
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Neha R.
The way he paced his innings was perfect! Started cautiously after those early wickets and then accelerated at just the right time. Future India captain material for sure 😊

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

Tags:
IPL 2025 Shubman Gill Gujarat Titans Mark Boucher Aakash Chopra T20 Cricket
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