EVEN IF WE QUALIFY, WE’RE NOT A TEAM THAT GETS COMPLACENT

As the TATA IPL 2025 season resumes, Ishant Sharma joined Star Sports Press Room with Gujarat Titans and shared on the race to the play-offs, key team dynamics, the emergence of young Indian talent, and Gujarat Titans’ mentality heading into the final stretch of the season. He also praised the role that Sai Sudharsan, Sai Kishore, Shubman Gill’s captaincy, and Ashish Nehra’s coaching has played in the team’s journey this season.

Speaking exclusively on Star Sports Press Room with Gujarat Titans around the race to the play-offs, Ishant Sharma spoke about Gujarat Titans’ approach to the final leg of the league stage and handling squad transitions. Ishant said:
“Even before the break, we didn’t have too many international players—just four or five. Everyone was available, and we had a solid, experienced Indian fast-bowling setup. We don’t focus on who’s leaving or what the opposition looks like. Yes, we plan for them, but our focus is on taking it one day and one game at a time. We’re not a team that thinks about the play-offs too early. Once we reach the play-offs, then we’ll focus on it.”

Looking ahead to their upcoming clash with Delhi Capitals, Ishant emphasized the stakes:
“Every game is important, especially at this stage of the IPL. It’s not just 20 overs—it’s 40. Until you finish in the top two, every match is crucial. Even if we qualify after the next match, we’re not a team that gets complacent. We give it everything, every single day. When you go back to the room, you shouldn’t feel like, ‘I wish I had done more.”

Ishant Sharma also praised Sai Sudharsan and Sai Kishore’s impact and clarity in their roles:
“The way Sai Kishore and Sai Sudharsan are playing, I don’t think they can do anything better. Nobody is thinking about winning the Orange Cap or the Purple Cap. As a player, even if you make a small impact in this format, that is a team’s victory, and both are doing exactly that. Maybe Sai Kishore hasn’t bowled that much, but he’s still a top contender for the Purple Cap. Sai Sudharsan is doing a great job. He understands his game very well. If you see, we don’t have many power hitters in our team who just go for sixes. We have someone who plays proper cricketing shots—good fours—and that frustrates the bowler more because when you hit a four off a good ball, the bowler has no options.”

Ishant also highlighted Shubman Gill’s evolution as a leader:
“This is Shubman’s second year as captain, and he’s learning a lot. Ashish Nehra always says that the captain should first be a bowler’s captain—give the bowler freedom—and that’s what Shubman does. He’s growing, and I’m sure in the coming years, we’ll see him leading even better than now.”

Reflecting on Ashish Nehra’s mentorship, Ishant spoke about how he’s guided pacers like Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna:
“Ashu Bhai didn’t change much in Siraj’s bowling. Ashish Nehra, being an international bowler himself, told Siraj to trust his outswinger, that’s his stock ball. With Prasidh Krishna, the advice was simple: just bring your length a little fuller, and once you’re confident with that, add one yorker in between. Ashu Bhai always told me, there’s no better ball than a length ball; a ball hitting the stumps. That’s true across formats.”

Ishant also shared a light moment about his camaraderie with Nehra:
“We’ve known each other since my debut days—international and first-class. Our conversations are often informal—we meet in the corridor, talk over tea or coffee. There’s no structured meeting where we break down batters; it’s always a chill atmosphere. And it’s not just with me—it’s with everyone.”

Catch Rajasthan Royals vs Punjab Kings at 3:30 PM, followed by Delhi Capitals vs Gujarat Titans at 7:30 PM tomorrow, May 18, as teams race to the TATA IPL play-offs — live and exclusive on JioHotstar and Star Sports Network