In a crucial IPL 2026 encounter in Chandigarh on Tuesday, India’s top batters, Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer, who are frequently disregarded in the T20 format, will captain the Gujarat Titans and Punjab Kings, respectively. Both players are keen to make an impression.
In the shortest format, India’s Test and ODI skipper Gill, who was selected T20I vice-captain but later excluded from the T20 World Cup squad after a dismal batting performance, has a lot to say.
India went on to win a record third ICC T20 World Cup and Gill starts this season at a pivotal point in his T20 career.
Only Virat Kohli has scored more IPL runs than Gill since 2023, but strike rate has taken precedence over consistency. Gill, who has a career T20 strike rate of about 138, showed promise last season, scoring more than 155 runs—something he would like to improve.
Gill’s six-hitting and purpose at the top will be keenly monitored now that Matthew Hayden has joined the coaching group as batting coach. Gill has developed into a captain since Hardik Pandya left the squad following the 2023 Indian Premier League, and the team now obviously revolves around him.
Gujarat Titans have been among the most reliable teams since winning the championship in their first season in 2022. Last year, they finished third before losing to Mumbai Indians in the Eliminator.
With 20 players left, they appear to be among the more stable units once more. Their greatest asset is still the opening duo of Gill and Sai Sudharsan, who was the highest scorer with 759 runs previous season.
Sudharsan is making a comeback from a rib fracture, but before to the injury, he was playing well in domestic cricket, scoring several fifties and an undefeated 101.
Wicketkeeper-batter Kumar Kushagra, who made an impression in domestic cricket with a strike rate of over 160 and an average above 60 in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, is one of GT’s interesting backup alternatives. In the event that the middle order falters, he would provide flexibility.
Punjab Kings will once again rely heavily on captain Shreyas, a seasoned IPL leader who has now led three teams to the final (Delhi Capitals in 2020, KKR in their 2024 victory, and PBKS last season).
Shreyas last played a Twenty20 International in December 2023, but despite his steady performances, the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee continues to ignore him. Last season, the captain led from the front as well, scoring 604 runs at a strike rate of more than 175, the highest of the top 10 run scorers.
Even though he was called up to replace Tilak Varma during the home series leading up to the global showcase against New Zealand, he was unable to establish himself in India’s T20I XI for either the Asia Cup or the T20 World Cup. Punjab’s powerful Indian core is its greatest asset.
Last season, openers Prabhsimran Singh and Priyansh Arya scored 1,024 runs at a strike rate of around 169, making them one of the most potent duos. Both, though, have had a quite quiet Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, which raises concerns about their present performance.
Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh, and Suryansh Shedge make up the middle order, which will be vital, particularly in the face of Rashid Khan’s potent spin attack.
Cooper Connolly of Australia will be PBKS’s new No. 3 in place of Josh Inglis, who was cut before the 2026 Indian Premier League owing to availability concerns. Cricket Australia has urged Connolly to refrain from bowling while he recovers from a back issue, therefore he is anticipated to start out as a specialist batsman.
The Gujarat Titans and Punjab Kings have a 3-3 head-to-head record. at their lone match of the previous season, Punjab Kings prevailed by 11 runs at Ahmedabad.
