Shubman Gill is named captain of the Gujarat Titans, and the squad accepts Hardik Pandya’s choice to go to MI

Shubman Gill was named captain of the Gujarat Titans on Monday for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 season, after Hardik Pandya decided to rejoin the Mumbai Indians.

Along with a substantial, unannounced transfer fee—a portion of which will also go to the cricketer—the Gujarat Titans will get Rs 15 crore from MI as part of the all-cash trade agreement.

After Pandya’s departure was confirmed, Gill, a 24-year-old opener, was the obvious option to be captain. He had earned the coveted “orange cap” the previous season with 890 runs, which was only surpassed by Virat Kohli’s 973 career total.

“I appreciate the Gujarat Titans for their faith in me to lead such a great squad. I am thrilled and happy to take up the leadership. Gill stated in a statement, “We have had two fantastic seasons, and I am really looking forward to leading the squad with our exciting style of cricket.

Vikram Solanki, the director of the GT Team, recognized Pandya’s role in the group’s accomplishments over the previous two seasons.

According to a statement from Solanki, “Hardik Pandya, as the first captain of Gujarat Titans, has helped the franchise deliver two fantastic seasons that resulted in winning one IPL championship and one appearance in the final.”

He now says he wants to play for his old club, the Mumbai Indians. The former England batter went on, “We accept his choice and wish him all the very best in his future undertakings.

Having worked closely with Gill, Solanki attested to his maturity.

“Over the last two years, Shubman Gill has shown development in size and status at the top level of the game. In cricket, we’ve watched him develop as a leader as well as a hitter,” Solanki said.

The director of the GT think tank said, “His maturity and skill is evident in his on-field performance and we are extremely excited to embark on a new journey with a young leader like Shubman at the helm.”