IPL: Gujarat Titans assistant coach compares Virat Kohli with Shubman Gill

By SABC Sport
26th May 2026

Virat Kohli and Shubman Gill have emerged as two of the standout examples of how elite batters are adapting to the rapidly changing demands of IPL 2026, a season that has redefined scoring standards.

Kohli has once again crossed the 500-run mark in his career, scoring 557 runs at a strike rate of 163.82, while Gill has amassed 616 runs at 161.67.

Their performances have stood out in an IPL season where technically accomplished batters are under increasing pressure to attack from the beginning of innings and expand their scoring range.

The evolution has been driven by a sharper, high-tempo batting approach across the league. Younger power-hitters such as Vaibhav Sooryavanshi are regularly striking at around 200, while totals above 220 are no longer considered safe as teams continue to chase them down consistently.

Gill's transformation has been particularly notable after he faced criticism before the season for his strike rate and was left out of India's T20 World Cup squad.

The Gujarat Titans captain has responded by adding another dimension to his batting and silencing critics with sustained performances.

Gujarat Titans assistant coach Vijay Dahiya praised Kohli, Gill and Sai Sudharsan for their technique, adaptability and mental strength, saying those qualities remain crucial as modern T20 batting continues to evolve.

"Absolutely, these three [Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli], are going to play a very crucial role, and one thing that you mentioned, good, you mentioned these three names, and that tells you that if you are technically very strong, all three names, if you want to put them in grade, they are there. Very strong mentally, and they can change the game according to the format," Dahiya said ahead of qualifier 1 between RCB and GT.

"This is what they have done. But you have to have that in you to change according to the situation, according to the format, and all three have done that.

"Virat Kohli has done more than anyone else in this because he has played much more than the other two names that you spoke about.

"But this season the way Shubham Gill has played, I think he tells you how strong he is, not only technically, but mentally as well and can change his game according to the situation and according to the demand of the format as well."