The IPL 2026 may have only started last week, but the debates are already going on in full swing. The Shreyas Iyer-led Punjab Kings (PBKS) kicked off their campaign with a thrilling three-wicket win over the Shubman Gill-led Gujarat Titans (GT) on March 31 in Mullanpur.
After the tense finish of the IPL 2026 clash at the brand-new Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, former Indian batter and cricket expert Aakash Chopra has criticized Shubman Gill’s captaincy after the Gujarat Titans failed to secure a win over PBKS despite being in a good position. However, he was impressed by Shreyas Iyer’s leadership.
Aakash Chopra hails PBKS for their calm after record win
Aakash Chopra was all praise for the way Punjab Kings began their IPL 2026 season. He pointed out how the finalists of the last season prepared for this season as they recorded their sixth straight opening-match win in IPL history. He hailed how Shreyas Iyer-led PBKS didn’t panic at any point.
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Aakash Chopra said on Star Sports’ ‘Cricket Live’: “In a tournament like the IPL, you don’t overthink the two points you’ve earned; you take them and move on. There will always be learnings, but it’s far better to learn after a win than after a loss.”
Chopra impressed by Shreyas Iyer’s smart bowling rotations against Gujarat Titans
The JioStar panellist also lauded Punjab Kings’ bowling performance against the Titans. He also heaped praise on Shreyas Iyer for the way he used five bowlers and rotated them exactly when needed. Cooper Connolly (72* off 44 balls) also earned praise for finishing the match for the hosts.
The commentator added, “The positives were plenty, especially with the bowling; it was spot on. Shreyas Iyer’s captaincy was outstanding as well, using just five bowlers and rotating them smartly. Cooper Connolly, a young Australian batter, came in and took center stage to guide the team home. Yes, they could have finished the game earlier, but in the end, it’s the two points that matter. By the end of the season, people will only talk about points and net run-rate, not how you got them.”
Aakash Chopra slams Gujarat Titans’ top-order failure
Speaking about Gujarat Titans’ poor planning and confusing decisions, Chopra was not really impressed by Shubman Gill’s captaincy. He pointed out that the Titans’ top three batters are not giving the team solid starts, which puts unnecessary pressure on the middle order.
The former Indian batter also slammed Glenn Phillips, saying his 25 is surprisingly still his highest IPL score, and Washington Sundar. The Indian all-rounder made 18 runs from 16 balls, and Chopra warned the GT that his slow scoring rate is becoming their weakness.
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GT needs to rethink their middle-order: Chopra
He also questioned Shahrukh Khan’s selection over Kumar Kushagra. Chopra felt Gill and the Titans team management must seriously rethink their middle-order combination because the current structure doesn’t look strong enough under pressure.
Chopra said during the same discussion, “You would want Phillips to contribute more consistently, and Sundar also needs to score at a quicker rate because he seemed a bit stuck. They have continued with Shahrukh Khan, but I felt Kumar Kushagra also had a case for selection. GT needs to rethink how their 4, 5, and 6 are structured.”
Chopra questions Shubman Gill’s captaincy
However, Chopra was most shocked by Gujarat’s bowling decisions. As compared to Shreyas Iyer’s captaincy, he felt that Gill’s decision-making wasn’t good at all, saying such tactical mistakes put extra pressure on the bowlers, and that happened against PBKS.
He signed off by saying, “Even the bowling plans were puzzling. Siraj still had two overs left when the game was almost done, and Prasidh Krishna was brought in quite late. Overall, Shubman Gill’s captaincy also left a bit to be desired.”