"Ashish Nehra has done something as the players bring the best version of themselves" - Aakash Chopra on Gujarat Titans' strength ahead of IPL 2024

Aakash Chopra reckons Ashish Nehra's ability to extract the best from his players is the Gujarat Titans' (GT) strength heading into IPL 2024.

Nehra has coached GT to the final in their first two seasons in the prestigious league. While they beat the Rajasthan Royals in the IPL 2022 final, they suffered a last-ball defeat against the Chennai Super Kings in last year's summit clash.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra picked Nehra's presence as head coach as the Gujarat Titans' biggest strength.

"If you see the team, a lot of the categories have been taken care of nicely. This team's strength is that it makes superstars. Ashish Nehra has done something as the players bring the best version of themselves," he said (6:35).

The former India opener noted that a plethora of players have raised their game while playing for the Titans.

"Shubman Gill and Wriddhiman Saha's best versions have come here. Vijay Shankar, whom everyone had discarded, his best version came here. Rahul Tewatia and Sai Sudharsan's best versions came here. Abhinav Manohar does well," Chopra elaborated.

Shubman Gill, who scored 890 runs at an average of 59.33 and a strike rate of 157.80 in 17 innings, was the Orange Cap winner last year. Wriddhiman Saha (371), Sai Sudharsan (362) and Vijay Shankar (301) also contributed crucial runs in the Titans' run to the final.

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"It's a team that combines the five fingers to make a fist" - Aakash Chopra on the Gujarat Titans

The Gujarat Titans will miss Mohammed Shami's services in IPL 2024. [P/C: iplt20.com]

While observing that Mohammed Shami surprised everyone with his excellent performances for the Gujarat Titans, Aakash Chopra added that their side gels together as a unit.

"In bowling, people weren't thinking that Mohammed Shami would do well, he too did well. One after the other, everyone does well. Whether it is Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmad, Joshua Little, Spencer Johnson, David Miller, Kane Williamson or Matthew Wade - it's a team that combines the five fingers to make a fist," he stated.

The cricketer-turned-commentator noted that the IPL 2022 champions aren't dependent on a few star players.

"A team filled with superstars gets beaten badly sometimes. It could be personal egos or too much dependence on very good players, and the others feel they are not that important. But with the Gujarat Titans, every player is doing his job. They combine every bead and make a beautiful garland," Chopra observed.

With 28 scalps, Shami was the Purple Cap winner last year. The right-arm seamer recently underwent ankle surgery and has been ruled out of IPL 2024. The other bowlers will have to rise to the occasion for the Titans to continue their consistent run this year.