Gill vs Iyer : Battle of the Emerging Captains | IPL 2026 Match 4 GT vs PBKS

The Indian Premier League 2026 is officially in full swing! After a decade of heartbreak, the Punjab Kings (PBKS) enter this season as the team to beat, coming off a stunning runners-up finish in 2025. On the other side, the Gujarat Titans (GT) are looking to reclaim their "big game" reputation under the ever-reliable Shubman Gill.

But the real drama? It’s the battle of the "New Era Captains." Shreyas Iyer has transformed Punjab into a tactical powerhouse, while Shubman Gill is out to prove he is still the undisputed king of the North.

Match Details

• Match: Punjab Kings vs. Gujarat Titans - Match 4

• Date: March 31, 2026

• Time: 7:30 PM (IST)

• Venue: Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, Mullanpur (New Chandigarh)

  
  

Pitch Report

The Mullanpur track is a pacer's paradise early on, with nearly 67% of wickets here falling to fast bowlers. However, once the ball stops swinging, it turns into a graveyard for bowlers. Expect a high-scoring encounter, but the team bowling first will have the advantage of avoiding the heavy dew expected in the second innings.

The Rivalry: Shreyas Iyer vs. Shubman Gill

This is more than just a match; it’s a fight for the future of Indian captaincy.

• Shreyas Iyer (PBKS): The tactical mastermind. Since taking over, he has fixed Punjab’s middle-order "collapse" habit. He’ll be looking to use his spin duo of Chahal and Brar to choke Gill in the middle overs.

  
  

• Shubman Gill (GT): The Ahmedabad Prince is now a seasoned veteran. His record against Punjab is legendary (averaging over 50), and he’ll be looking to spoil Iyer's homecoming with a signature masterclass. After being snubbed from the T20 WC squad, he'll want to prove why he is still a dominant batter.

Probable Playing XI

Punjab boasts a heavy Indian core, while Gujarat has loaded up on world-class overseas pace.

Punjab Kings:

Prabhsimran Singh (wk), Priyansh Arya, Shreyas Iyer (c), Nehal Wadhera, Marcus Stoinis, Shashank Singh, Marco Jansen, Harpreet Brar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Xavier Bartlett.

Gujarat Titans:

Shubman Gill (c), Jos Buttler, Sai Sudharsan, Glenn Phillips/Jason Holder, Shahrukh Khan, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Mohammed Siraj, Kagiso Rabada, Prasidh Krishna, Sai Kishore.

Top Fantasy Picks

• Top Wicketkeeper Pick: Jos Buttler (His explosive powerplay potential is too high to ignore).

• Top Batter Pick:

  Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer, Sai Sudarshan.

• Top Bowler Pick:

  Arshdeep Singh (Death overs specialist), Rashid Khan, Mohammed Siraj.

• Top All-Rounder:

  Marcus Stoinis, Rashid Khan.

Must Picks:

• Shubman Gill (Captaincy favorite at this venue)

• Arshdeep Singh (Left-arm swing is deadly at Mullanpur)

• Shreyas Iyer (The anchor for your fantasy middle order)

Winning Team Prediction

This is a "Stalemate Rivalry"—the head-to-head record sits dead even at 3-3. During the auction, Punjab only made minor adjustments to their squad, most notably dropping Josh Inglis. However, with the home crowd behind them and a more settled middle order featuring the "finisher" Shashank Singh, they still seem like a solid team.

Gujarat have not seemed to have answered their middle order question in the auction. While Kumar Kushagra was in brilliant form during SMAT, Rahul Tewatia and Shahrukh Khan still need to prove themselves. Additionally, Rashid Khan and Shubman Gill have struggled with their recent T20 form making Punjab Kings the favorites to take this one.