Hardik Pandya doesn't deserve any credit for Gujarat Titans's accolades claims Aakash Chopra

Former cricketer Aakash Chopra discussed the Gujarat Titans ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. Aakash Chopra emphasized that the strength of the Gujarat Titans lies in their coach Ashish Nehra’s ability to elevate the performance of his players.

Ashish Nehra has coached the Ahmedabad-based franchise in their first two seasons of the marquee tournament. The team clinched the title in their maiden season by defeating the Rajasthan Royals. The Titans reached the final again in the IPL 2023 season.

However, the Gujarat Titans suffered a last-ball defeat against the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in last year’s final. The franchise traded Hardik Pandya, who captained in the first two seasons, to the Mumbai Indians (MI) before the auction in November last year.

Ashish Nehra Has Done Something – Aakash Chopra

In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra discussed how Ashish Nehra has fostered a team culture that brings out the best in players. Chopra cited examples of players who have delivered their finest performances under Nehra’s guidance.

“If you see the team, a lot of the categories have been taken care of nicely. This team’s strength is that it makes superstars. Ashish Nehra has done something as the players bring the best version of themselves,” Chopra said.

“Shubman Gill and Wriddhiman Saha’s best versions have come here. Vijay Shankar, whom everyone had discarded, his best version came here. Rahul Tewatia and Sai Sudharsan’s best versions came here. Abhinav Manohar does well,” he added.

Shubman Gill clinched the Orange Cap last year, amassing 890 runs in 17 innings at an impressive average of 59.33 and a strike rate of 157.80. Wriddhiman Saha (371), Sai Sudharsan (362), and Vijay Shankar (301) played pivotal roles in the last season.

A Team Filled With Superstars – Aakash Chopra

Aakash Chopra emphasized that the IPL 2022 champions don’t rely solely on individual stars but instead function as a collective unit. He acknowledged Mohammed Shami’s excellence for the Gujarat Titans in the last two seasons of the prestigious event.

“In bowling, people weren’t thinking that Mohammed Shami would do well, he too did well. One after the other, everyone does well. Whether it is Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmad, Joshua Little, Spencer Johnson, David Miller, Kane Williamson or Matthew Wade – it’s a team that combines the five fingers to make a fist,” Chopra further stated.

“A team filled with superstars gets beaten badly sometimes. It could be personal egos or too much dependence on very good players, and the others feel they are not that important. But with the Gujarat Titans, every player is doing his job. They combine every bead and make a beautiful garland,” he concluded.

Mohammed Shami secured the Purple Cap last season with an impressive tally of 28 wickets, closely followed by teammates Mohit Sharma (27) and Rashid Khan (27). Noor Ahmed also made a significant contribution, claiming 16 wickets in 13 matches.

Mohammed Shami will miss the entire season of this year’s IPL due to ankle surgery. His absence places more responsibility on the shoulders of other bowlers in the Titans squad. The team acquired the services of Spencer Johnson for Rs. 10 crore. Umesh Yadav was also picked by the franchise in the mini-auction in December.

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