"This team's batting is weak" - Aakash Chopra picks Shubman Gill as the Player of the Match for the Gujarat Titans vs Punjab Kings encounter

Aakash Chopra has picked Shubman Gill as his Player of the Match for last night's IPL 2022 encounter between the Gujarat Titans (GT) and the Punjab Kings (PBKS).

Gill smashed 96 runs off just 59 deliveries to help the Titans chase down a 190-run target. Hardik Pandya's side were in a spot of bother after the lanky opener's dismissal. However, Rahul Tewatia smoked a couple of sixes off the last two deliveries to take them across the finish line.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra picked Gill as the star performer of the match ahead of Tewatia, Rashid Khan, and Liam Livingstone. He reasoned:

"Rahul Tewatia was the Player of the Match or Shubman Gill was the Player of the Match or Rashid Khan, who took three wickets, was the Player of the Match or Liam Livingstone's knock was good. My player of the day has to be Shubman Gill because you are chasing and this team's batting is weak."

The former India cricketer highlighted that the Gujarat Titans' batting relies a lot on Gill. He observed:

"The batting does not have that much might and is extremely dependent on Shubman Gill's performance. Their team looks good if Gill fires but if he doesn't, it looks, unfortunately, a little weak."

Gill did not have a great start to IPL 2022 as he was dismissed for a duck in Gujarat Titans' first match against the Lucknow Super Giants. However, he has bounced back brilliantly with knocks of 84 and 96 to help the Titans maintain their all-win record.

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"It was not such a straightforward run chase" - Aakash Chopra says Shubman Gill was all class

Shubman Gill played quite a few sublime shots during his innings [P/C: iplt20.com]

Aakash Chopra pointed out that the 190-run target was a tall ask for the Gujarat Titans. He explained:

"It was not such a straightforward run chase. When it is more than 180 runs, it takes some doing and these days that much dew is not coming. Matthew Wade does not make runs and you don't have formidable batters down the order."

The reputed commentator concluded by stating that even the opposition was forced to applaud Gill's pleasing strokeplay. He elaborated:

"How well the guy batted, incredible batting, the way he hit his shots. Two consecutive 80-plus scores, this should have been a century. I like two of his shots a lot - the backfoot punch he hits to the right of deep point and the left of covers, and the pull to mid-wicket, a fielder is not there in both areas. It was all class, he was hitting and the opposition team was also clapping."

Gill struck 11 fours and a solitary six during his 96-run effort. He maintained a strike rate of 162.71 while playing just conventional cricketing shots.