Gujarat Titans head into IPL 2026 as they have always done — quietly confident, without much noise, and with a clear sense of what they are about. That attitude, shaped from day one by head coach Ashish Nehra, has served them well across four seasons, and he made it clear at the team’s pre-season event that nothing about it is changing.

“We Are Not Here to Participate”

Nehra was speaking at Shubharambh 2026 — GT’s annual pre-season event that brings together the full squad, owners, sponsors and fans — when he laid out the mindset he expects from the team.

“I don’t think there’s a need to think differently this season. In fact, I don’t have to think, the players do. They have to think. They have to play; I’m sitting outside.”

“From day one, our mindset has been clear — we are not here to participate, we are here to compete and win. For a new team, it’s easy to think it might take time, but that was never our approach.”

He also underlined the value of continuity and the experience within the squad.

“You’re talking about a captain who has been with the team from day one and has seen that journey. I don’t think we are looking to do anything different this season.”

A Record That Speaks for Itself

Nehra’s confidence is not just words — it is backed by one of the most consistent track records of any franchise in IPL history.

Since joining the league in 2022 as a brand-new franchise, GT have made the playoffs in three of their first four seasons. Their highlights include:

  • IPL 2022 — Won the title in their very first season under Hardik Pandya

  • IPL 2023 — Reached the final, losing to Chennai Super Kings; Shubman Gill scored a record 890 runs that season including four centuries

  • IPL 2024 — Made the playoffs under Gill’s captaincy but were eliminated before the final

  • IPL 2025 — Missed the playoffs — their only failure in four seasons

Shubman Gill: The Constant at the Core

Captain Shubman Gill has been at the centre of GT’s rise and remains their most important player going into IPL 2026. Gill has scored 3,866 runs in 118 IPL matches and was given the captaincy in 2024 — a role the franchise has confirmed he will keep for the foreseeable future.

Gill has also spoken about wanting his pace bowlers to carry the same intensity that Nehra himself carried during his playing days — a sign of how deeply the coach’s competitive philosophy has taken root in the team’s culture.

GT’s Opening IPL 2026 Schedule

Date

Match

Venue

March 31

Punjab Kings vs GT

Mullanpur

April 4

GT vs Rajasthan Royals

Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad

April 8

Delhi Capitals vs GT

Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi

April 12

LSG vs GT

Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow

GT missed the playoffs for the first time in IPL 2025, and that will have stung a team of their ambition. IPL 2026 is their chance to correct that — and if Nehra’s words are anything to go by, they will approach it the same way they always have: head down, compete hard, and win.