Iyer, Gill in Focus as PBKS Face GT in IPL 2026

Punjab Kings and Gujarat Titans meet with both sides looking to build on last season’s playoff runs, while their captains Shreyas Iyer and Shubman Gill return to the spotlight in T20 cricket.

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Big Picture: Captains Seek Fresh Start

Iyer and Gill were among the standout performers in IPL 2025. Iyer scored 604 runs at a strike rate of 175, while Gill amassed 650 at 155.87.

Despite those numbers, both have had limited involvement in T20 cricket since then. Gill featured in 15 T20Is after IPL 2025 but did not register a half-century, while Iyer has not played a T20 match since the IPL final due to injuries and limited opportunities.

As PBKS and GT begin a new campaign, both teams will look to their captains to rediscover rhythm and lead from the front.

Team News

Punjab Kings are expected to slot Cooper Connolly at No. 3, with Marcus Stoinis and Marco Jansen certain starters. The final overseas spot will be decided between Azmatullah Omarzai, Ben Dwarshuis and Xavier Bartlett.

Punjab Kings (probable):
Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh (wk), Cooper Connolly, Shreyas Iyer (capt), Marcus Stoinis, Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh, Marco Jansen, Xavier Bartlett/Ben Dwarshuis/Azmatullah Omarzai, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal, Vijaykumar Vyshak

Gujarat Titans are likely to include Rashid Khan and Washington Sundar, with conditions in New Chandigarh potentially favouring an additional seamer. Options include Ashok Sharma, Arshad Khan or R Sai Kishore.

Gujarat Titans (probable):
Shubman Gill (capt), B Sai Sudharsan, Jos Buttler (wk), Washington Sundar, Glenn Phillips, M Shahrukh Khan, Rahul Tewatia, Jason Holder/Kagiso Rabada, Rashid Khan, Prasidh Krishna, Mohammed Siraj, R Sai Kishore/Ashok Sharma/Arshad Khan

In the Spotlight: Opening Combinations

GT’s opening pair of Gill and Sai Sudharsan were highly productive last season, adding 912 runs together. Sudharsan finished with 759 runs to win the Orange Cap, while Gill contributed 650, both striking at over 155.

With the middle order still evolving, GT could once again depend heavily on their openers, particularly with Jos Buttler yet to find consistency.

PBKS rely on a different dynamic. Prabhsimran Singh and Priyansh Arya combined for 532 runs, the highest for an uncapped opening pair in a single season. Both scored over 450 runs at strike rates exceeding 160.

Their aggressive approach at the top allows PBKS to capitalise early, supported by a strong middle order.

Key Stats and Conditions

Shreyas Iyer has scored 27 runs in five innings at New Chandigarh, with a highest score of 10.
Prabhsimran Singh struggled against left-arm spin in IPL 2025, scoring at 104 and being dismissed three times in five innings.
Gill has been dismissed three times by Yuzvendra Chahal and scores at a strike rate of 122 against him, while Sai Sudharsan has scored 40 runs off 17 balls without being dismissed.

The match will be played on pitch No. 4, the same surface used for PBKS’ game against Chennai Super Kings last season, where totals of 219 and 201 were recorded.

Quotes

“Our level of cricket last year was good enough for us to finish on top of the table, but that doesn’t mean anything going into a new season. I talked a lot last year about this team that we put together as being different and a really daring style and brand of cricket, and we’ve got to start that all over again”

“Ricky Ponting was one of the hardest working cricketers that ever came across in my time. And Sai Sudharsan would probably be a multiple of two as to what Ricky ever did.”