Indian young opener Shubman Gill has been named the Gujarat Titans’ new captain, following the surprise return of all-rounder Hardik Pandya to the Mumbai Indians. While Pandya remained on the Titan’s roster on Sunday, it was revealed on Monday that he had been traded to MI, with no players traveling the other way. Gill, who won the Orange Cap in the 2023 IPL season, will succeed Hardik, who led GT for two seasons, winning the IPL title in 2022 and finishing as runners-up in 2023.

I am delighted and proud to assume the Captaincy of Gujarat Titans and thank the franchise for keeping 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. Let’s make it memorable, Gill said.

Gill was instrumental in GT winning the title in 2022. GT’s director of cricket Vikram Solanki admitted that the 24-year-old batter has grown 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, he added.

Gill’s contribution on the field has helped Gujarat Titans emerge as a formidable force. His maturity and skill are 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 concluded. Gill was the leading scorer in this year’s IPL, with 890 runs at an average of 59.33 from 17 matches, the second-highest of all time behind Virat Kohli’s 973.