Shubman Gill's tenure as captain of the Gujarat Titans (GT) got off to a rocky start in IPL 2025, as the former IPL champions fell to the Punjab Kings (PBKS) by a mere 11 runs in their season opener. The match, held in Ahmedabad, saw GT chasing a formidable target of 244, ultimately falling short, much to the dismay of GT fans and cricket pundits alike.
Indian cricket legend Virender Sehwag has been vocal about his concerns regarding Gill's captaincy. Speaking on Cricbuzz, Sehwag criticized Gill for his lack of proactivity and questionable bowling changes. A particular point of contention was Gill's decision to pull Mohammed Siraj from the attack after Siraj had delivered a tight couple of opening overs, conceding just 14 runs.
Instead, Arshad Khan was brought in and was promptly targeted, conceding 21 runs in a single over during the powerplay—a move Sehwag suggests shifted the game's momentum in PBKS's favor.
Sehwag observed, "I thought Shubman Gill's captaincy wasn't up to the mark. When Siraj is bowling well with the new ball, there's no logic in saving him for the death overs, especially when he ended up getting hit later."
Reflecting on the game, Gill acknowledged his team's shortcomings. "We had chances both while bowling and batting. But conceding too many runs towards the end and not capitalizing on those crucial middle overs hurt us.
In those three overs, we managed only 18 runs, and our first three overs in the chase were slow—that, in particular, cost us the match," Gill remarked.
Despite the defeat, Gill found silver linings in his team's performance, noting the difficult conditions for delivering perfect yorkers by players coming off the bench.
"There are many positives to take forward. It's always a good wicket to bat on here," he added, likely eyeing improvements in the matches ahead.
Looking back on his captaincy journey, which began after taking over from Hardik Pandya last season, Gill emphasized the importance of separating his batting from leadership duties.
In a pre-season media conference, Gill shared, "The more you keep captaincy and batting separate, the better it is. Concentrating fully on batting when I'm at the crease allows me to make the best decisions for myself and my team."
Gill's reflections come after a mixed experience as captain last season, when GT concluded the tournament in eighth place following successive finals appearances in 2022 and 2023. Gill, who amassed an impressive 890 runs in the 2023 season, remains optimistic.
However, it is clear that navigating the choppy waters of IPL captaincy is a learning curve he is committed to mastering.
As the Gujarat Titans attempt to shake off this early setback, all eyes will be on Shubman Gill as they strive to reclaim their form and compete for top honors in IPL 2025.