‘Impact player rule is unfair’:GT skipper Gill fumes over 12th player format; Nehra backs adaptive T20 cricket instead of high-scoring

Players are prepared, the support staff is on its toes, and cricket fans across the globe are anticipating as the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 returns on 28 March. Ahead of the 19th season of the IPL, the Gujarat Titans team addressed the media regarding a few points at the centre of the buzz around the tournament. Captain Gill on ‘Impact Player’ rule Captain Shubman Gill and head coach Ashish Nehra shared a chat with the media on Thursday, where they talked about the continuation of the ‘Impact Player’ rule till 2027. Responding to Bhaskar English’s query on the rule, Captain Gill said, “Personally, I don’t think there should be an ‘Impact Player’ rule.” Explaining his opinion, Gill said that Cricket is an 11-player game, and an extra batsman in the match takes away the skill of the game, as there is a certain skill required to play the match. Pitch-talk takes centre stage Along with the Impact Player rule, the pitch conditions were also a talking point in the address. Coach Nehra, a former India pacer, remarked that they would love to prepare a pitch of their choice, but that, as he says, unfortunately, isn’t the case. Gill reiterated his coach’s stance, emphasising the importance of scoring runs regularly and performing well in all conditions. “At the end of the day, you have to score more runs than the other team. We are not chasing the glory of scoring 300–350 in a single match. We want to be a team that consistently scores big runs and achieves the par target for that wicket,” Gill said. Reflecting on his own performance, Gill maintained that individual milestones are secondary to team success. Gujarat Titans’ IPL 2026 campaign starts from 31 March Gujarat Titans will begin their campaign against Punjab Kings in Mullanpur on 31 March. In the 2025 IPL season (last year), the Gujarat Titans finished third in the league stage with 9 wins but lost to the Mumbai Indians in the Eliminator. This year, GT will look up to chase their second title in the league.