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Gujarat Titans (GT) captain Shubman Gill is once again ruling the ongoing IPL 2026 with his classy batting and calm leadership. While many young batters are trying to play fearless cricket in the tournament, Shubman Gill has continued to impress everyone with his stylish shots, consistency, and smart game awareness.
Ahead of Gujarat Titans’ IPL 2026 clash with Kolkata Knight Riders on May 16 at Eden Gardens, former Indian fast bowler Lakshmipathy Balaji has made a big statement on Gill and even compared his batting style to the batting legend Rohit Sharma.
Shubman Gill continues IPL 2026 domination as Gujarat Titans move closer to playoffs
Shubman Gill has been one of the biggest reasons behind Gujarat Titans’ strong IPL 2024 campaign so far. The right-handed batter has already smashed 467 runs in 11 matches at an impressive strike rate of over 158.
He has also handled captaincy brilliantly, helping GT win 8 out of their 12 matches this season. They are now just one win away from sealing the IPL 2026 playoff spot.
Well, Gill’s IPL journey started with KKR after shining in the 2018 Under-19 World Cup, but his struggles led to his release in 2022.
But things changed after the Gujarat Titans signed him at the mega auction in 2022, and he went on to become one of the most dangerous top-order batters in the IPL.
At Gujarat Titans, Gill has been unstoppable, scoring more than 400 runs in every IPL season at an excellent strike rate of over 146.
Lakshmipathy Balaji compares Shubman Gill to Rohit Sharma after stunning IPL 2026 form
Meanwhile, Lakshmipathy Balaji was extremely impressed with the way Gill has transformed himself over the last few years in the IPL. The former pacer feels the Indian captain’s batting style, especially his elegant backfoot shots, timing, and control, reminds him a lot of Rohit Sharma.
Balaji said on Star Sports: “He is a classical cricketer who bats with ease. He is the shorter version of Rohit Sharma. Like Rohit, he is flamboyant, has the extra time, and plays the backfoot cover drive. His playing conventional cricket, but at a high strike rate with consistency, has influenced the team a lot. He is such an improved player with back-to-back excellent seasons.”
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Lakshmipathy Balaji left impressed by Sai Sudharsan’s mature batting approach
Meanwhile, one of GT’s biggest strengths this season has been their dangerous opening pair of Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan. They have been GT’s backbone. Balaji hailed Sudharsan for his consistent performance in the tournament over the years.
The left-handed batter made a slow start but bounced back strongly and crossed the 500-run mark for the third straight IPL season. Sai has already scored 501 runs in 12 matches this season at an average of over 41 and a strike rate of over 155.
The cricket pundit added, “He’s in a great space at the moment. He plays conventional cricket and takes his time without going for big shots. His cover drive shows he’s a player in control. His maturity shows in the fact that he looks to play the full 20 overs and maximize it. He seems to play several roles for the team. After failing in the first three matches, he did his course corrections so fast to become the first to 500 this season.”
