2022 IPL champions Gujarat Titans have a tricky task ahead of themselves as they have to find a like-for-like replacement for their former skipper Hardik Pandya in the upcoming auction. The flamboyant all-rounder was traded to Mumbai Indians which put Gujarat in a tough spot now. They have already announced Shubman Gill as their captain for the next season but they didn’t trade in any player to replace Pandya. However, they will enter the auction with the biggest purse – INR 38.15 crore, giving them an edge over other franchises.
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Available Slots: 8
Overseas Slots: 2
Salary cap available: INR 38.15 crore
Released Players: Yash Dayal, KS Bharat, Shivam Mavi, Urvil Patel, Alzarri Joseph, Odean Smith, Dasun Shanaka, Pradeep Sangwan, Hardik Pandya (Traded to MI).
5 Players Gujarat Titans Can Target at IPL 2024 Auction
Pat Cummins
Titans have released a few pacers from their squad and with the big budget they have, the runners-up of last season should go for a player like Pat Cummins who will also be a good addition to their leadership group. Cummins recently inspired Australia to ODI World Cup triumph and he also has a good experience of playing in India. He is also a very handy batter lower down the order and holds the record of the joint-second fastest fifty in IPL history.
Shardul Thakur
The Indian bowling all-rounder will be one of the star attractions in the auction and Gujarat have the money to beat other franchises in the race. KKR released Thakur after one season where he failed to live up to expectations and also had tough times in terms of injury. The 32-year-old has played for several franchises in IPL but now it’s time for him to become a mainstay in a side and GT are also looking for a player with the same profile.
Shahrukh Khan
It is going to be a big task for Gujarat to find an ideal replacement for Pandya and they might look to sign multiple players to fill that gap. Titans have been a consistent performer in the last two seasons and big credit for their success should go to the batting unit. With Pandya in the middle, they had a player who provided both stability and firepower in the middle-order. Shahrukh is one such player in the auction pool who is known for his power-hitting in domestic cricket which might solve one of the Titans’ worries.
Azmatullah Omarzai
Titans have two quality Afghan players on their side – Rashid Khan and Noor Ahmad – the duo performed well for them last season. They might look to make an addition to their Afghan group by signing Omarzai who grabbed attention with his all-round show in ODI World Cup 2023. He also has the potential to replace Pandya in the side but considering the all-rounder’s demand in the past auctions, they have to fight hard to sign him.
Chris Woakes
After pulling out from last season, Woakes will give another shot to the cash-rich league and once again the franchises will be excited to get him on board. Titans should also target him for his ability with the ball and handy-batting lower down the order. They have a couple of overseas slots to fill and also need a new-ball bowling partner with Mohammed Shami and that’s where Woakes fits the bill.
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