As Gujarat Titans captain Shubman Gill walked out to open the innings in a high-pressure chase against Punjab Kings, one match-up caught attention — his ongoing struggle against Glenn Maxwell in the T20 format.
According to available stats, Gill has scored just 16 runs off 13 balls against Maxwell in T20s across four innings and has been dismissed twice. The numbers underline a surprising trend, considering Maxwell is not a regular frontline bowler but has consistently troubled one of India’s top batters in this format.
Gill’s conservative approach against off-spin combined with Maxwell’s ability to bowl flat and quick has worked in the latter’s favour. The Australian all-rounder often operates in the powerplay or early middle overs, exactly when Gill looks to settle in — making it a tricky phase for the opener.
In high-stakes games where match-ups matter more than ever, Punjab Kings could look to leverage Maxwell early on against Gill to exploit this statistical edge. Whether it proves decisive in the outcome remains to be seen, but it’s a contest worth keeping an eye on.
