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Gujarat Titans (GT) spinner Manav Suthar has lauded captain Shubman Gill's leadership, praising his tactical awareness, communication with bowlers, and ability to create a relaxed team environment.
Responding to a question on Gill's captaincy and whether he can be termed a "bowling skipper", Suthar said Gill has been highly effective in managing his bowling unit and setting smart fields under pressure. "He's very good, the way he's leading the team, the way he's leading the players, it's very good. As you've seen, recently in IPL 2026, we restricted LSG under 170 and later went on to win the game comfortably. The way Gill sets the field, talks to the bowlers, supports them, it's very good," Suthar told ANI. The young spinner went on to describe Gill as a captain who places strong emphasis on backing his bowlers and giving them freedom on the field. "Furthermore, we can say he is the bowling captain. When I played one game against RCB at Bengaluru during the 2024 season, when I came to bowling, Gill was making me feel very free, and he supported a lot," he added. Suthar also dismissed suggestions that GT's head coach Ashish Nehra's high-intensity presence in the dugout adds pressure on the team, saying the environment within the camp remains simple and supportive. For those unversed, Nehra is often seen animated during IPL matches, and even stepping out of the dugout to engage closely with on-field proceedings. However, Suthar said the coach's approach is focused on keeping things uncomplicated for the players. "It's not like that. Head coach Ashish sir (Nehra) has kept things as simple as possible, which is important in cricket, to keep things simple. So his focus is on that, and it helps the team a lot," Suthar said. When asked about who keeps the dressing room atmosphere light during the IPL season, the young spinner said the team functions as a close-knit unit rather than relying on any single individual. "There's nothing specific like that in the team. Everyone supports each other, everyone is together through highs and lows, like a family. So that's it," he added. Suthar was retained by the Gujarat-based franchise for Rs 30 lakh in the previous year's Indian Premier League (IPL) auction. Before that, the 23-year-old was picked up for Rs 30 lakh in 2025 and Rs 20 lakh in 2024. Earlier in his IPL journey, the promising all-rounder was part of the team's support setup as a net bowler during their title-winning 2022 campaign. Suthar went on to make his IPL debut for the Gujarat Titans in May 2024 against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. Meanwhile, after losing the first two IPL 2026 games against Punjab Kings and Rajasthan Royals, Gujarat bounced back and secured a nervy win against Delhi Capitals by one run and a comfortable seven-wicket victory over the Lucknow Super Giants. Their next match is against the three-time champions KKR at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Friday. (ANI)
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