NEWS
Follow UsGujarat Titans stormed their way to their second final of the Indian Premier League after comprehensively defeating Mumbai Indians by 62 runs in the second Qualifier at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Friday, May 26.
After being asked to bat first, Shubman Gill smashed 129 off 60 deliveries, studded with seven boundaries and ten massive sixes to power the team to 233 runs in the first innings.
In the post-match press conference, Vijay Shankar heaped praises on Gill and said, "In the second game of the season, I told that he has amazing work ethics, and that is why he is one of the best cricketers right now. The way he is batting right now is just unbelievable."
"The way he practices is something really important. He does what he wants and practices with purpose, and every time he turns up to the game, it is so lovely to see him switch on from ball one, which is exceptional."
“He is able to do both. As a batter, when you know that you can hit sixes as well as rotate the strike. His biggest strength is finding the gaps in the powerplay."
"He can play the ball in the gaps and hit those boundaries whenever needed. He is someone with everything and knows when to use what, and that’s a highlight of being a top player and shows how it is done,” he added.
The 29-year-old also credited skipper Hardik Pandya and the team management for keeping things very simple and backing the players, which has helped them produce consistent results.
"He is pretty aggressive, but at the same time, he is pretty chill as well because he wants everyone to give their best and enjoy the game. He has shown the confidence in every individual in this team to come out and take up those challenges. When you have the backing from your captain and your coach, then you feel really comfortable," he said.
The 32-year-old returned to the league after spending months away from the game due to injury and scored 301 runs in 10 innings at an average of 37.63 and a strike rate of 160.1.
"I think this is one of the best seasons for me. Coming out of injury and working a lot on my mental aspect of the game and physical aspect as well," he said.
"I put in a lot of hard work in the last six months, and it taught me a lot of things. I was finally able to find what I was missing, and when I came here and started practising with Gary and other support staff, I was able to explore a lot of new things and adapt to a lot which helped in scoring runs for the team," Shankar added.
The defending champions will face MS Dhoni and his Super Kings in the summit clash on Sunday, May 28, and Shankar believes the team have the capability to clinch back-to-back titles.
"We have worked on all the aspects of our game, and it is just about going out there and giving our best. We did well in the first game when we played against Chennai here, and it is very important for us to enjoy the game as it is a very big moment for us."
"The wicket is really good, and we do have a bit of an advantage with the home conditions. Final is a great platform for us, and we want to enjoy the moment because we are playing back-to-back finals which is a great thing to happen," he concluded.
