Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], April 11 : Gujarat Titans (GT) assistant coach Vijay Dahiya has heaped praise on skipper Shubman Gill, lauding his leadership qualities and cricketing intelligence ahead of their Indian Premier League (IPL) clash against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG).

Responding to a question on Gill's captaincy and his ability to instil confidence in the team, Dahiya said he did not see himself in a position to rate Gill as a captain, adding that the Indian setup had already placed its faith in him.

"I think I don't need to rate him. I think India rated him as the Test Indian captain. So, I am nobody to rate him. I think he is phenomenal. He is somebody who is a brilliant student of the game. And that's what you want to see," Dahiya said during the pre-match press conference.

Vijay Dahiya also backed Rashid Khan, saying the Afghan cricketer continues to be a "champion bowler" whose consistency across formats and leagues makes him one of the most dependable performers in world cricket.

Speaking ahead of the team's IPL clash against LSG, Dahiya stressed that Rashid's long-standing excellence has set very high expectations, often making even a decent season appear below par in public perception.

"Rashid is a kind of player who doesn't have to add anything new to their game. When you play for such a long time, it is not that easy. Rashid is a champion bowler. In every condition, in every country, in every league, he has performed," Dahiya said.

He added that such sustained success naturally raises expectations around the spinner's performances.

"Then your expectations become like this. If he has a normal season, then everyone thinks that maybe he didn't do as well as he should have. So, sometimes you work more on your own expectations," he noted.

Dahiya further highlighted Rashid's unmatched commitment on the field, pointing out his consistent intensity in all aspects of the game.

"One thing that connects you with Rashid is that whenever he gets down, you get to see him 100%. Whether it is batting, bowling, or fielding," he said.

The Gujarat Titans assistant coach also made it clear that there is complete confidence within the team regarding Rashid's abilities and impact.

"And there is no doubt in our team that the kind of performance Rashid did," Dahiya added.

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