Subhayan Chakraborty
In a T20 world obsessed with bat-speed and bowling variations, it takes a rare breed of athlete to turn the outfield into the most thrilling spectacle of the match. Bringing his gravity-defying acrobatics and selfless brand of cricket to the Gujarat Titans in IPL 2026, Glenn Phillips, the New Zealand all-rounder, is looking to make an impact which goes far beyond a scorecard. In an exclusive conversation, Phillips opened up about the magic behind his fielding, the unique sanctuary that is the Titans dressing room, and his front-row seat to the boundless potential of Titans captain, Shubman Gill.
To watch Phillips patrol the outfield is to witness a modern homage to Jonty Rhodes. The comparisons are inevitable, but when asked about the mystery behind his breathtaking catches, Phillips approaches the praise with a refreshing blend of technical insight and profound humility.
“Lots of luck, first and foremost,” Phillips admits with a smile. “And I guess the ability, probably from an athleticism perspective, being willing to dive and explode as far as I possibly can to give myself a chance to take those catches. And maybe a little bit of genetics, which is helpful from an athlete agility perspective that runs through my family. So, sometimes it’s a little bit of luck, but then also a lot of hard work over the years growing up to be able to perform them now.”
Being likened to Rhodes is a compliment of the highest order in world cricket. For Phillips, it strikes a deeply personal chord, taking him back to his childhood and the lessons imparted by his father.
“It’s very humbling. I grew up watching Jonty, and my dad was a huge Jonty fan as well,” Phillips says before adding, “And he said, ‘You know what, you can bat and you can bowl, but only a few people can field like that, so be one of those fielders.’ And it’s also about fun and enjoyment, and I saw the way Jonty enjoyed his fielding and made it a string to his bow. So for me, I felt like that’s something I can give to a team, it’s something I can do regardless of any situation.”
Phillips sees his role not just as a run saver, but as a pioneer for the next generation. “If I’m now having people look at me, because they have potentially a bit more opportunity to see with TV these days, to be able to inspire the next generation of fielders and, you know, hopefully maybe inspire the fielding standard over the 10, 20, 30 years to come…,” the Kiwi adds. “If I can be a stepping stone along with Jonty for the next generation to come, it’s absolutely fantastic. But obviously a very, very humbling attribute to be likened unto.”
On paper, the Titans are a force. Yet, as any cricket aficionado knows, championships are forged behind closed doors. For Phillips, the GT environment reminds him of the New Zealand team.
“Yeah, this (Gujarat Titans) is a fabulous team. We’ve been fortunate that we’ve only had a couple of changes from last year, and I think from a team environment that really, really helps from a morale perspective as well,” he says. “We’ve got a really good group of guys. So whether you’re part of the playing XI or whether you’re on the side helping the boys out, there is probably a sense of team that I haven’t sensed in a lot of franchises around the world. And it does have that sense that the kind of environment we try to instill in our Black Caps team, it really feels like that kind of environment here.”
He credits the backroom staff, led by Ashish Nehra, for cultivating a culture of relentless fight and meticulous preparation.
“The way Ashish (Nehra) and all the playing staff or the staff members I guess go about their business trying to get the best out of players. There’s no stone unturned from a preparation perspective. We are very blessed with the facilities we have” Phillips explains. “But the communication, the wordings, the intent that guys and the playing staff use here is really something that I’m quite familiar with and I think it resonates with all the boys as well. Understanding that maybe we don’t go out there and score 250 every time, but we’re gonna always be there, we’re always gonna keep pushing, we’re always gonna fight, and I think that’s the kind of environment I’m used to being in, which is really, really fantastic.”
At the helm of this Titans ship is Gill. Still remarkably young, Gill is already carrying the weight of franchise leadership and the colossal expectations of Indian cricket. Having played under numerous great captains globally, Phillips sees a unique spark in his young skipper.
“He’s a very deep thinker of the game,” Phillips observes. “He takes charge of the boys really well. He’s a great leader from a talking perspective as well, the boys want to follow him, which is really, really great. And I think as a young captain, he’s only going to get better in time to come. He’s going to learn from experiences, he’s going to have good times, he’s going to have bad times, he’s going to make good decisions and bad decisions.
“I think for him to be able to lead GT as well as the Indian side, he’s only going to learn and grow from there. But I guess he does have that calm head about him which a lot of good captains do have. But I think his ability to think and the way he sees the game probably will set him apart from other captains going forward. Maybe it’s not necessarily going to come out now, but the way he learns, the way his tactics grow, he’s open to new ideas, he’s open to learning, and I think that’s only going to take him further forward as he grows in his experience.”
When the conversation shifts to Gill’s batting, the awe in Phillips’ voice is palpable. Even as a world-class athlete himself, Phillips admits to being rendered a mere spectator when Gill is at the crease.
“Oh, there’s no ceiling for him. I stand there in awe as well. There’s shots that he’s playing off certain deliveries that just have no right to be played,” Phillips continues. “You know, it’s the same when you look at Kohli or Dhoni or, you know, guys like Rohit, Shikhar Dhawan, they all have that ability to hit balls in great areas that you just have no explanation for, and Shubman is that kind of player. His ability to play aggressive cricket with a non-risk style is probably his biggest asset…
“Shubman’s ability to have an excessive strike rate with that kind of style is incredible. I think he’s only going to be able to strike it faster the way he takes on the bowlers. He just makes it look easy. And, you know, he averaged 50 last year at a strike rate of like 150 or something. Like, that’s ridiculous. But he does it all the time is the other thing… The rest of us just can’t comprehend that. So he has no ceiling.”
Despite a stellar run of form leading into the IPL 2026, Phillips’ personal philosophy remains radically selfless. In a format that often glorifies individual milestones, his focus is entirely on utility and filling the gaps his team needs him to fill.
“Yeah, I think for me, I’m trying to take the results outside of it. It comes down to trying to contribute for the team,” the GT star, who started their opening game in IPL 2026 says. “We’ve got a set of guys that bat incredibly well in the top order, so maybe that means I only face 20 or 30 balls max in a game. And maybe there’s a couple of games where they don’t come off and that’s where my skill set to hopefully be able to adapt to a situation on the fly, maybe on a tougher pitch is maybe where I’m going to come in. Or to be able to put icing on the cake to what they’ve presented. Trying to finish off games, trying to, I guess, just be whatever the team needs me to be at that specific stage.”
Even if he finds himself out of the starting XI, his commitment to the crest remains unwavering.
“But if I don’t, obviously it’s a great team environment, I’ll support the boys. If I’m not playing, I’ll try and do everything I can to make sure that I’m still part of this team environment and keep giving… just trying to do my process, do everything that I can control, and keep giving to the team as much as I can.”
As the interview drew to a close, Phillips was asked to address the young fans watching from the stands and screens, the kids who want to dive, catch, and fly just like him. His advice was that while batting and bowling grab the headlines, the field is where pure passion resides.
“My message especially to young fans is fall in love with the fielding aspect of it. You spend so much time in the field. Everybody can take a catch, everybody can make a run out, but very few people can do things that no one else can do,” Phillips says. “And if you can find that piece in you that allows you to have that edge, maybe over another batter or bowler in your side because you can be good in the field and you enjoy it and you love it, the chances are you’re probably gonna pull off something special.
“And the more you pull off special things, it rubs off on other people around you. And, you know, maybe we’ll have a generation in 10, 20, 30 years’ time where everybody on the field is just absolute rockets in the field. And, you know, that only makes the brand better, it only makes the game more enjoyable. It’s just about pushing your limits as much as you can. There’s no ceiling for anyone.”
Glenn Phillips shares the fact that joy, heart, and a genuine love for the dirt on the outfield can still be a cricketer’s ultimate superpowers. But with Gujarat Titans, in IPL 2026, he is eyeing nothing but the glittering trophy.
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