IPL 2026: I Don't Have Anything To Prove In This Season, Particularly, Says Shubman Gill

IPL 2026: I don't have anything to prove in this season, particularly, says Shubman Gill (Image Source: IANS)

Indian Premier League: Gujarat Titans skipper Shubman Gill said he feels no pressure to prove himself in the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season, adding that his focus is on making his team win another title this year rather than chasing personal milestones.

Gill, India’s captain in Tests and ODIs, was left out of the T20I team to make room for Sanju Samson in the top order. It proved to be a move that paid off really well as India claimed a record third Men’s T20 World Cup title at the Narendra Modi Stadium earlier this month.

“Not at all. I think, if you look at the past three or four seasons, I have the most runs in IPL. So, I don't think I have anything to prove, in this season particularly. The four years that I've played for this team, I think we have done decently well as a team, and I think I've done decently well as a batsman.

“So, I don't think I need to prove my worth to anyone. I think I need to do what I've been doing for the past four years. As a team, we need to be consistent, which I think we have been. If we continue doing that, sooner or later, I think we will win that trophy once more,” said Gill, who became GT’s captain in IPL 2024, in a pre-season press conference on Thursday.

The right-handed batter also voiced his opinion against the Impact Player rule, saying that it is making the game one-dimensional. Gill’s words come just a day after he attended the IPL captains and managers meeting in Mumbai, where it was announced that the Impact Player rule will remain till the 2027 season.

“Personally, for me, I don't think there should be an Impact Player rule. I think cricket in general is an 11-player game, and on the wickets and grounds that we play, adding an extra batter takes the skill out of the game. There is a certain skill in the game that you need to have, and when you know when you have a certain number of batters and if a couple of your batters get out, there is a certain amount of skill that you need to have to still get the scoreboard moving and get your team to a good score.

“I think with that one extra player, it's making the game more one-dimensional, and it's taking a little bit of the skill out of the game. Chasing 180 or 160 on a challenging wicket is, for me personally, way more exciting than chasing 220 on a flat wicket.

“So, I mean, it's gonna be there till 2027 -- it's something that we also spoke about in the captain's meeting yesterday. I understand it makes the game a bit more entertaining, but let's see if it's up to them and what the BCCI is going to take a decision on this. But personally, I don't like it that much,” he elaborated.

Gill signed off by reiterating that personal goals are never a priority for him in terms of targets in the immediate future, whether he’s turning out for GT or India. “Honestly, I am not the one to look too much into personal goals, whatever team I am playing for, whether it be for my country or for Gujarat.

“So, I mean, it's gonna be there till 2027 -- it's something that we also spoke about in the captain's meeting yesterday. I understand it makes the game a bit more entertaining, but let's see if it's up to them and what the BCCI is going to take a decision on this. But personally, I don't like it that much,” he elaborated.

“If you are playing a series, you are looking to beat the other teams in the series, so those are the goals that I look forward to, and I don't really have my personal goals. Like right now, it’s obvious to win the IPL. Once that ends, obviously, we are going to have some other tournaments within the team. So my personal goals would change into that, and that's how I like to look at my goals.”

Article Source: IANS