Former India player Aakash Chopra said that the Gujarat Titans (GT) need Shubman Gill to step up with the bat in their IPL 2024 clash against the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) as well. The IPL 2023 finalists will take on each other at Chepauk in Chennai on Tuesday, March 26. The Titans will try to avenge the loss in last edition’s final and become the first team to win an away game this season as well.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra said, “One more time I am going with the captain. If it’s Rutu’s (Ruturaj Gaikwad’s) reign and he is young, then Shubman Gill is also as young. Both started with a win, so I am going with Shubman Gill. Once again, like Rutu, he was batting very well in the first match until he got out while trying to play a shot against Piyush Chawla.”
READ ALSO: Michael Vaughan praises Team India after series win over England
“You will need Shubman Gill’s batting on this pitch because if Gujarat has to do well, Shubman needs to have a very good, long and big season. I see a little lack of experience in their batting. This is the team that has not yet started playing explosively even though you have an extra batter. Other teams are trying to do that but Gujarat is not,” the former India opener further added.
Shubman Gill, who was the Orange Cap winner last season, has failed to score a half-century in the Gujarat Titans’ Qualifier 1 and final defeats against CSK as well. He will want to play a match-winning knock against CSK. Aakash Chopra again chose Rashid Khan as the second Gujarat Titans player to watch out for.
ALSO READ: Kirti Azad welcomes BCCI’s new directive in central contract
“My second player is Rashid Khan. I am very keen to see whether Noor Ahmad plays with Rashid or not. You can play Noor Ahmad in place of Spencer Johnson because spin might come in more handy on the Chennai pitch. Their bowling is decent but Rashid Khan needs to fire. He is the lion in the jungle, who, whether he eats or not, will scare everyone,” Aakash Chopra concluded. “Last but not the least, my focus will be on Ashish Nehra. Gujarat’s specialty is that they tend to win all close encounters. The reason for that is Ashish Nehra makes this team combine the five fingers to make a fist. He extracts the best even from ordinary players. I am looking forward to watching Ashish Nehra on the sidelines.”
