IPL 2026 has brought a sharper, high-tempo edge to batting, forcing established stars like Virat Kohli and Shubman Gill to adapt quickly. With younger hitters such as Vaibhav Sooryavanshi regularly striking at around 200, the bar for T20 totals has risen dramatically. Scores beyond 220 are no longer seen as secure, as teams continue to chase them with surprising ease this season. That has put extra pressure on technically strong batters to expand their range and accelerate from the start. Kohli and Gill have responded well to the challenge, adjusting their tempo without losing consistency. Gill has accumulated 616 runs at a strike rate of 161.67. Kohli, meanwhile, remains prolific with 557 runs at a strike rate of 163.82, crossing 500 runs once again in his career. Overall, IPL 2026 continues to redefine batting standards, rewarding fearless intent and rapid scoring across all venues consistently this season.
Gujarat Titans assistant coach Vijay Dahiya lauded the batting stars Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli, highlighting how their solid technique and strong mental resolve make them vital to the team’s batting structure.
“Absolutely, these three [Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli], are going to play a very crucial role, and one thing that you mentioned, good, you mentioned these three names, and that tells you that if you are technically very strong, all three names, if you want to put them in grade, they are there. Very strong mentally, and they can change the game according to the format,” Dahiya said ahead of qualifier 1 between RCB and GT.
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Shubman Gill shifts gears in IPL 2026
Ahead of the season, Shubman faced intense scrutiny after missing out on the T20 World Cup squad, with his strike rate coming under sharp criticism. However, the Gujarat Titans skipper has since elevated his game, adding another dimension to his batting and answering his critics in style.
Dahiya drew a detailed comparison between Kohli and Shubman, focusing on their ability to adapt across situations and formats, while underlining how experience and temperament shape their batting evolution in modern cricket.
“This is what they have done. But you have to have that in you to change according to the situation, according to the format, and all three have done that. Virat Kohli has done more than anyone else in this because he has played much more than the other two names that you spoke about. But this season the way Shubham Gill has played, I think he tells you how strong he is, not only technically, but mentally as well and can change his game according to the situation and according to the demand of the format as well,” he added.
