![Shubman Gill and Ashish Nehra [Source: AFP]](https://onecricketnews.akamaized.net/parth-editor/oc-dashboard/news-images-prod/1774344149995_shubmangillashishnehra.jpg?type=hq)
Shubman Gill and Ashish Nehra [Source: AFP]
Shubman Gill has delivered a special message for his Gujarat Titans teammates ahead of the upcoming IPL 2026 season. The Titans skipper wants his colleagues, especially bowlers, to perform with the same intensity this season which current head coach Ashish Nehra demonstrated during his playing days.
It is worth noting that Nehra seldom held back on his aggression, often reacting animatedly to misfields or dropped catches during his playing days.
Shubman Gill wants bowlers to follow coach Ashish Nehra by example
Gujarat Titans captain Shubman Gill wants his bowlers to demonstrate their aggression this IPL 2026 season. The senior Indian batter has even urged them to follow the example of head coach Ashish Nehra and the competitiveness he displayed during his playing days.
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During an interaction with host and TV personality Mandira Bedi, Shubman Gill said “I do not want my fast bowlers to be calm. I want them to be fierce just like Ashu Pa was. I'm sure you must have seen videos of how Ashu Pa acknowledged dropped catches when he was playing.”
Ashish Nehra, who played 17 Tests and 147 white-ball games for India between 1999 and 2017, was renowned as a fiercely competitive fast bowler who wore his emotions on his sleeve and demanded higher standards from his fielders. During an ODI match in 2005, the speedster even abused then youngster MS Dhoni for missing a catch.
Captain Gill optimistic of improved performance
Reflecting on the previous campaign, captain Gill expressed satisfaction with the team’s overall approach despite falling short of the ultimate prize. He stressed the importance of learning from last season’s shortcomings as the Gujarat Titans gear up for IPL 2026.
He added “Even last year, we had a very successful season. We did not win the trophy, but that does not take away from the brand of cricket we played. We are now here to rectify the mistakes we made last season. We did fall short in some of the things.”
Compatible to Shubman Gill’s claims, the Gujarat Titans franchise made it to the playoffs of IPL 2025 by finishing third on the 10-team points table. Under his leadership, the Titans secured nine wins and sustained five defeats from 14 matches.
However, on the day of the Eliminator, the Titans succumbed to a demoralising 20-run defeat to fourth-placed Mumbai Indians to bow out of the competition.
Gujarat Titans to face Punjab Kings to start off IPL 2026
The Gujarat Titans franchise currently boasts of a formidable squad for IPL 2026 owing to their aggressive retention policies and some smart purchases at the auction late last year. At the bidding event, the franchise acquired several international stars in the form of seasoned West Indies all-rounder Jason Holder, firebrand England batter Tom Banton and fast bowler Luke Wood.
The franchise also retained a major chunk of its core players, including captain Shubman Gill, opener Sai Sudharsan, England great Jos Buttler, and fast bowlers Mohammed Siraj and Ishant Sharma, among others.
As per the IPL 2026 schedule unveiled by the BCCI earlier this month, the Gujarat Titans will be taking on Punjab Kings in their opening match of the tournament on March 31 later this weekend. The match will be hosted by Mullanpur. The team will subsequently travel back home in Ahmedabad to host Rajasthan Royals on April 4.
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