'He Has Been...': Shubman Gill Credits 'This' Person Behind GT's Win Over MI

Umesh defended 19 off the last over. (AP)Umesh defended 19 off the last over. (AP)

Gujarat Titans (GT) skipper Shubman Gill credited the spinners for their exceptional bowling performance, which ensured that the home team remained in the game despite the challenge posed by the dew in the second innings of the match in Ahmedabad.

In their opening IPL 2024 encounter at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad, the revamped Gujarat Titans convincingly outplayed Hardik Pandya’s Mumbai Indians. Despite Mumbai Indians (MI) reaching 129/3 at one point, the 2022 champions managed to successfully defend a total of 168 runs. 

Throughout the match, there were fluctuations in momentum, but by the end of the 40 overs, it was the 2022 IPL champions who emerged victorious. Gill demonstrated effective leadership by skillfully rotating his bowlers. Following their six-run victory in the last-over thriller, Gill lauded his bowlers and also recognized Sai Sudharsan, the player of the match, for his composed knock of 45. 

Reflecting on the game, Gill said:

“The way the boys held their nerves with dew coming in, it was outstanding. The way our spinners bowled made sure we are always in the game. It's all about holding your nerves. He (Sai Sudharsan) has been a revelation for us. We just wanted to build on the pressure and wait for them to make mistakes. 

The crowd is one thing, have always come whether it is a day game or a night game and shout out to all the fans who have come here to support us. I thought that was a good score, but we definitely left at least 15 runs there, it was hard to hit those short balls as the wicket got a bit slow towards the end.”

Mumbai Indians (MI) have a reputation for losing their IPL openers but bouncing back in the following matches. Remarkably, MI's last victory in their IPL opener dates back to 2012, when they defeated CSK. 

Meanwhile, the Titans will carry this confidence into their upcoming game in Chennai, slated for Tuesday. It poses another challenging task for young skipper Gill, as beating CSK in their home ground is no easy feat.