New Zealand national cricket team all-rounder Glenn Phillips revealed an amusing conversation he had with Gujarat Titans (GT) captain Shubman Gill ahead of their IPL 2025 opener against Punjab Kings on March 25. Phillips known for his fielding brilliance during the Champions Trophy took stunning catches including dismissals of Virat Kohli and Gill but his side the Black Caps, eventually lost the final to India.

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Gill who led GT last season after Hardik Pandya's departure is aiming to guide his team back to the playoffs after a disappointing 2024 season. Under Pandya's captaincy Gujarat Titans won the IPL title in 2022 and finished runners-up in 2023 but they couldn't replicate the same success under Gill's leadership last year.

Ahead of their match Phillips shared some light-hearted banter he had with Shubman Gill about MRF bats. Phillips revealed that Gill jokingly asked if he had an issue with MRF bat users since it seemed like every player with an MRF bat was getting caught out by Phillips during the Champions Trophy.

Phillips said, "The thing he said to me was, 'what's your problem with MRF bats? It seems like anyone with an MRF bat seems to hit it straight to you, and you won't drop them.'"

He went on to praise Gill's sense of humour adding that the GT captain is humble and fun to be around. "He's got a great sense of humour. We had a good chat at the team dinner the other night. It's great to know him personally and to be on his team rather than watching him score runs against us. He is a really down-to-earth guy, really enjoyable to be around," Phillips shared.

Phillips also spoke highly of Gujarat Titans' performance in their first two seasons acknowledging the pressure Gill faces as both an IPL captain and an Indian international player. "The way they played in the first two years of the team's journey was fantastic, and they were in great form. I don’t think it has anything to do with Shubman or the pressure he's under. You know, he plays for India there's no bigger pressure than that," Phillips remarked.