Kamal Ghorui
Gujarat Titans captain Shubman Gill has made it clear that he is not feeling any added pressure heading into the Indian Premier League 2026 season, insisting that his primary focus remains on helping his team secure another title rather than chasing individual milestones.Gill, who currently leads India in Tests and ODIs, was notably left out of the T20I side to accommodate Sanju Samson at the top of the order. The decision proved effective, as India went on to win a record third Men’s T20 World Cup title at the Narendra Modi Stadium earlier this month, with Samson emerging as the Player of the Tournament.
Addressing the media ahead of the season, Gill emphasised that his performances over the past few years speak for themselves and that he does not feel the need to prove anything further.“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,” Gill said during a pre-season press conference on Thursday.The 26-year-old reiterated that personal achievements are not a driving factor for him, whether he is representing his franchise or the national team.“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.“The team that I am playing for — I like them to win, and that is where my personal goal starts, and that’s where it ends. So, for me, I think the goal doesn’t change — make my team win as many matches as possible. Obviously, as a team, if you are playing in the IPL, you are playing to win it.“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.”Gill has been in exceptional form in recent IPL seasons. In 2023, when Gujarat Titans reached the final, he clinched the Orange Cap with 890 runs at an average of 59.33 and a strike rate of 157.80. He followed it up with 426 runs in 2024 at an average of 38.73 and strike rate of 147.40, before scoring 650 runs in 2025 at an average of 50 and a strike rate of 155.88.With consistent performances behind him and leadership responsibilities on his shoulders, Gill enters IPL 2026 focused firmly on team success over individual accolades.
