Gujarat Titans opener Sai Sudharsan has revealed that the franchise’s head coach Ashish Nehra scares him the most. However, at the same time, Sudharsan admitted that the former Indian fast bowler is like a father-figure to all the players.
Meanwhile, Ashish Nehra has played a key role in the success of the franchise since taking over as the head coach. GT won the IPL title in 2022 and then ended the runners-up in the next edition under Hardik Pandya’s captaincy.
In IPL 2026, GT qualified for the playoffs but could not go all the way.
When asked about the person he fears the most, Sai Sudharsan said on Gobinath’s YouTube Channel, “Ashish Nehra. He has an amazing cricketing mind. But sometimes he scares me. He is the most fun person also, yet, is like a father to all the players.”
Sudharsan also spoke about his relationship with captain Shubman Gill. The pair has played a key role in the team’s success and Sudharsan revealed he looked up to Gill when he came to GT.
He added, “Gill was the one who I looked at as a role model when I first came to GT. In my second year, even when I would be doing well, I would be dropped because of the team combination. He would always come and talk to me and point out small areas I can improve at. I have a great relationship with him. I can call him anytime and if I have any doubts, I’ll message him. It’s a blessing that I also get to play with him in the Indian team.”
The left-hander from Tamil Nadu added that India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir is someone who always backs his players.
“The most important thing for a player in a team is having freedom to express. He’s (Gambhir) a person who says do whatever you want and I’ll back you. That’s what allows me to play for the team rather than think about how to score for myself. He is creating an environment where players are more expressive. He is a really good person, who backs the players a lot,” said Sai Sudharsan (via the aforementioned source).
Sudharsan scored 722 runs in IPL 2026 and ended as the third-highest run-getter in the tournament.

