“I think this will be his best season” - Aakash Chopra makes big prediction for Gujarat Titans batter for IPL 2022

Former Indian batter Aakash Chopra has predicted that Gujarat Titans (GT) opener Shubman Gill will have his best season during the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022.

Gill, 22, was released by the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) ahead of the IPL mega auction. He was then picked by the Gujarat franchise from the draft list for ₹8 crore.

Analyzing the Gujarat squad ahead of their opening clash against the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), Chopra said on his YouTube channel:

“For the Gujarat Titans, obviously Shubman Gill should open. I think this will be his best season. There is a time in your life when you feel things are going to change. KKR released him and I think Gujarat is going to benefit from it.”

Picking his batting order for GT, he chose Matthew Wade ahead of Wriddhiman Saha as Gill’s opening partner. Chopra added:

“I am seeing Matthew Wade as the other opener for GT. He is a cracking player. I would have Vijay Shankar at 3. Since Wade would be keeping, there is no place for Saha. I would go with Hardik Pandya at 4 and David Miller at 5. Miller played the Bangladesh series, so he has some form. When you play competitive cricket, you are in a better space.”

The Titans recently named Afghanistan leg-spinner Rashid Khan as their vice-captain for the 2022 IPL season.

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“Gujarat Titans should go with off-spinner Jayant Yadav” - Aakash Chopra on GT’s bowling attack against LSG

Shifting focus to bowling, Chopra urged the Hardik Pandya-led outfit to include off-spinner Jayant Yadav in the playing XI since LSG have a couple of left-handers in their ranks. He explained:

“In the bowling, the Gujarat Titans should go with off-spinner Jayant Yadav. Lucknow have left-handers in Quinton de Kock at the top of the order and Krunal Pandya in the middle. One of the pacers Yash Dayal and Varun Aaron could play. If Mohammed Shami and Lockie Ferguson are also part of the playing XI, this looks a good team.”

New Zealand fast bowler Ferguson was Gujarat’s most expensive buy at the auction for ₹10 crore.

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Gujarat Titans' IPL 2022 squad

Shubman Gill, Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Abhinav Manohar, Vijay Shankar, Hardik Pandya, Rahul Tewatia, Dominic Drakes, Rashid Khan, Mohammed Shami, Lockie Ferguson, Yash Dayal, Jayant Yadav, R Sai Kishore, Noor Ahmad, Alzarri Joseph, Pradeep Sangwan, David Miller, Matthew Wade (wk), Gurkeerat Singh, B Sai Sudharshan.