New Delhi, April 1 Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra believes that the fortunes of the Gujarat Titans heavily depend on their top three players, including Shubman Gill, Jos Buttler, and Sai Sudharsan, and that they are not giving themselves the "opportunity" to find alternative strategies beyond their over-reliance on these three players.
The Titans' recent success has largely been based on the performance of their top order, a pattern that continued in their opening match against the Punjab Kings on Tuesday, when their middle order's vulnerability was once again exposed.
"For the Gujarat Titans, the top three need to perform because they are not giving themselves the chance to find a different way," Chopra said on JioStar.
The Titans failed to capitalize on a good batting surface, managing only 162 for six and ultimately losing by three wickets.
"Not many would believe it, but Glenn Phillips' 25 is actually his highest IPL score so far. You would want him to contribute more consistently. Washington Sundar also needs to score faster because he looked a bit stuck," Chopra said.
He also questioned the team's selection and batting order.
"They have continued with Shahrukh Khan, but I felt Kumar Kushagra also had a case for selection. The GT need to rethink how their Nos. 4, 5, and 6 are structured," he added.
Chopra was also critical of Gill's captaincy.
"Even the bowling plans were puzzling. Mohammed Siraj still had two overs left when the game was almost done, and Prasidh Krishna was introduced quite late. Overall, Shubman Gill's captaincy left a bit to be desired," he added.