New Delhi, April 1 – Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra expressed his dissatisfaction with Shubman Gill's captaincy after Gujarat Titans (GT) suffered a three-wicket defeat against Punjab Kings (PBKS) in their opening match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026, which was played at the PCA New International Cricket Stadium on Tuesday.
PBKS defeated the 2022 champions by three wickets after successfully chasing a target of 163 runs in 19.1 overs. While the Shubman Gill-led team posed a threat and put pressure on the opposition, Cooper Connolly's unbeaten innings of 72 runs in 44 balls proved decisive for the Punjab-based franchise, who started their campaign on a positive note.
According to Chopra, Gill's bowling plans were confusing, and the fact that Mohammad Siraj, their key bowler, had two overs remaining at the end of the match was a sign of mismanagement. Chopra also believes that Prasidh Krishna, who took three crucial wickets, should have been brought in earlier in the game.
"The bowling plans were confusing. Siraj still had two overs left when the game was almost over, and Prasidh Krishna was brought in quite late. Overall, Shubman Gill's captaincy also left something to be desired," Chopra told Jio Hotstar.
He also raised concerns about the team's over-reliance on its top-order batsmen, as the middle and lower order were not scoring enough runs for Gujarat Titans.
"For Gujarat Titans, the top three need to perform consistently because they are not giving themselves the opportunity to find different strategies. Not many would believe it, but Glenn Phillips' 25 is actually his highest score in the IPL so far. You would want him to contribute more consistently, and Washington Sundar also needs to score at a faster rate because he seemed a bit stuck," he said.
"They have continued with Shahrukh Khan, but I felt Kumar Kushagra also had a case for selection. GT need to rethink how their 4, 5, and 6 are structured," he added.
Chopra advised Punjab Kings to be happy with the two points and not overthink the batting collapse during the chase, where the team lost four wickets in just four overs, as at the end, only points matter. According to the former opener, it is better to learn from a win rather than a loss.
"This is their sixth consecutive season where they have won their opening game. In a tournament like the IPL, you don't overthink the two points you've earned, you take them and move on. There will always be learnings, but it's far better to learn after a win than after a loss. The positives were plenty, especially with the bowling, it was spot on," he said.
"The captaincy was also outstanding, using just five bowlers and rotating them smartly. Cooper Connolly, a young Australian batter, came in and took centre stage to guide the team home. Yes, they could have finished the game earlier, but in the end, it's the two points that matter. By the end of the season, people will only talk about points and net run-rate, not how you got them," he added.