IPL 2024: Gujarat Titans announce Shubman Gill as captain

Shubman Gill will lead Gujarat Titans in the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League (IPL). The decision was made after Hardik Pandya made the move to Mumbai Indians (MI) in an all-cash deal. Pandya had captained the two-year-old franchise in both seasons. In the first season, GT clinched the title. In the second, they reached the final but lost to Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in a thrilling title clash. Gujarat Titans will receive Rs 15 crore from MI for the all-cash trade deal apart from a hefty undisclosed transfer fee, a part of which will also go to the cricketer. Gill, 24, was an obvious captaincy choice for GT, having got the coveted Orange Cap last season with 890 runs, second to only Virat Kohli’s all-time record of 973. Speaking on his elevation to GT captain, Gill said, “I am delighted and proud to assume the Captaincy of Gujarat Titans and thank the franchise for their trust in me to lead such a fine team. We have had two exceptional seasons and I keenly look forward to leading the team with our exciting brand of cricket.” **IPL: Full list of players released, retained and squads** Vikram Solanki, Director of Cricket for Gujarat Titans, said, “Shubman Gill has shown growth in stature and standing over the last two years at the highest level of the game. We’ve seen him mature not only as a batter but also as a leader in cricket. His contribution on the field has helped Gujarat Titans emerge as a formidable force, guiding the team through a successful campaign in 2022 and a strong run in 2023. 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.” Solanki acknowledged Pandya’s contribution to the team’s success. “As the first captain of Gujarat Titans, Hardik Pandya has helped the franchise deliver two fantastic seasons that resulted in winning one IPL championship and one appearance in the final,” Solanki was quoted as saying in a statement. “He has now expressed a desire to return to his original team Mumbai Indians. We respect his decision and wish him all the very best in his future endeavours,” the former England batter further added. The blockbuster deal sees Pandya return to MI and Mumbai were required to offload Cameron Green to free up some much-needed purse. Green has thus moved to Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB).