Shubman Gill's Clarity, Swagger Mark His Evolution as Batter And Leader: Hayden

Mullanpur: Gujarat Titans batting coach Matthew Hayden has lauded skipper Shubman Gill for his growth as a batter and leader, saying the India star's clarity of thought and modern-day confidence have shaped his evolution at the highest level. GT will face Punjab Kings in their IPL 2026 opener here on Tuesday.

"Yeah, see, Shubman is a very clear speaker of the game, and that says he knew cricket in good stead, obviously at the highest level of cricket and Test cricket," Hayden said.

"He brings a lot of confidence. If you like, he brings a bit of swagger of the modern generation, which I really enjoy, that feeling that he's in control and he's shaping himself and his own destiny.

"But any side that he'll play with, he very unselfishly says, and I've watched him across many different press conferences like this, that it's very team-orientated," the burly opener of yesteryears said on Monday.

The former Australia opener, who is currently the batting coach of Gujarat Titans, also expressed confidence in the team's batting unit heading into the new season.

"There was no obvious weaknesses last season. There was only just a great foundation from the top three, built through some outstanding middle-order players and finished off as well with the finishes that they did have last year.

"So the metrics are really solid going into this season. The little areas of improvement will come as the tournament wears on," he added.