Shubman Gill got a ton of praise for his leadership after former India cricketer Mohammad Kaif basically called him the best captain in IPL 2026, you know, the whole thing. This praise feels extra weighty right now, because Gill was left out of India’s T20 World Cup squad just a few months ago. And now, reports are saying India might soon start looking for a new T20I captain , like really soon. Former India batter Mohammad Kaif also applauded Shubman Gill when the Gujarat Titans logged yet another commanding win in IPL 2026, this time against the Chennai Super Kings, which helped them strengthen their place near the top of the points table. Kaif praised Gill’s bowling changes and this tactical awareness, sort of saying they are major reasons behind Gujarat Titans having a steadier kind of performance this season. The whole appreciation rolled in after Gujarat Titans outplayed Chennai Super Kings in Match 66, of IPL 2026. GT got a big 89-run win, and they moved to 18 points from 14 matches with an excellent net run rate, of 0.695. For me Shubman Gill is this IPL's best captain. The sign of a great captain is how he uses his bowlers. His bowlers have taken 108 wickets in 14 games. RCB, PK, SRH, RR, CSK have been dismissed by GT bowlers, Gill asks his bowlers to stick to Test match line and length. Gill… — Mohammad Kaif (@MohammadKaif) May 21, 2026 Gill’s captaincy in the tournament has looked pretty calm, smart, and also well planned, while Gujarat Titans have gradually become one of the most balanced sides in IPL 2026. After 14 league matches, GT recorded nine wins and five losses, while somehow staying in the top two spots of the points table for most of the season. Their bowling unit , has especially troubled opposing sides throughout the tournament. Gill’s captaincy stint has also looked really sharp. Since he became GT captain in 2024, he has led the franchise in 40 matches, winning 23 and losing 17, which is pretty solid. His winning percentage is currently sitting at 57.5. The Indian batter has grown in a noticeable way as a leader during IPL 2026. Alongside the captaincy work, Gill has kept producing major contributions with the bat as well, not just in one corner but overall. Despite his strong IPL 2026 run, Shubman Gill ended up dropped from India’s T20I squad , right before the T20 World Cup 2026. The BCCI had confirmed his exclusion in December, after a long stretch where his form in T20 Internationals looked quite off. Also Read | Sai of Relief! Sudharsan enters elite list alongside Jos Buttler and Virender Sehwag with five consecutive 50s in IPL Gill couldn’t really keep the same rhythm in the format and he also missed the milestone of a half-century for 18 consecutive T20I innings. In his final 15 matches before that call, he put up just 291 runs, and his average sat at 24.35, which is where the concerns mainly came from. India’s setup also felt the squad needed a sharper, more aggressive opening approach. Still, IPL 2026 might have flipped the whole story. Gill’s steadier batting, along with his noticeable tactical growth as captain, seems to have dragged him back into the conversation for India’s future T20 leadership.