The Gujarat Titans have been one of the most consistent sides in the last 2 editions of the IPL, winning the title in 2022 and ending up being the runners-up in the 2023 edition.
They had arguably the strongest team on paper, but one of the biggest IPL trades in history might have tilted that equation going into the IPL 2024 mini-auction. As a result of that, GT now has the biggest purse among all the sides, and we can expect a couple of high-profile signings from them.
GT Retained, Released, and Traded Players
GT’s current squad: David Miller, Shubman Gill (c), Matthew Wade, Wriddhiman Saha, Kane Williamson, Abhinav Manohar, B. Sai Sudharsan, Darshan Nalkande, Vijay Shankar, Jayant Yadav, Rahul Tewatia, Mohammed Shami, Noor Ahmad, R. Sai Kishore, Rashid Khan, Joshua Little, Mohit Sharma
Released players: Pradeep Sangwan, Odean Smith, Alzarri Joseph, Dasun Shanaka, Yash Dayal, KS Bharat, Shivam Mavi, Urvil Patel
Traded out: Hardik Pandya to MI
Purse remaining: 38.15 crores
What are some of the weaknesses in their present squad?
There was no real weakness per se in the last 2 seasons for the Gujarat Titans, and that was one of the reasons why the team was able to reach the final on both occasions. Though they didn’t add to their trophy cabinet last season, there was no real cause of concern for them for the coming edition.
But that did receive a huge jolt with the departure of their skipper of the last 2 seasons, Hardik Pandya, during the IPL trade. The all-rounder has now moved to the Mumbai Indians, the place where it all began for him. They might want another Indian batter at their disposal with Hardik being gone and 1 or 2 genuine pacers, as they have released a few of them.
Players whom GT will target in the IPL 2024 mini-auction?
Mitchell Starc
This Aussie pacer is someone who might be on the radar of many sides, and the Gujarat Titans, on account of having the biggest purse, can spend plenty to acquire Starc. They need someone to fill the vacant spot left by Alzarri Joseph, and Starc might be the one they will go for.
Daryl Mitchell
Daryl Mitchell has shown the ability to play in the middle order, and in Indian conditions, he has proved his worth as a brilliant player of spin. So with Hardik not in the side, GT might look to fill the all-rounder slot with Mitchell.
Shardul Thakur
KKR let go of Shardul Thakur, and the bowling all-rounder has proved to be useful in this format of the game. So it won’t be a surprise if GT goes bonkers for him at the auctions and strengthens the lower order.
Kartik Tyagi
Like Starc, Tyagi could very well be the sought-after Indian pacer at the auction, as many sides would want him in their ranks. He adds uniqueness with his pace, and his ability to bowl in all the phases can prompt GT to go after the young speedster.
