Gujarat Titans (GT) have been the most consistent side in the Indian Premier League (IPL) during the past two years. However, they were unable to retain their championship in 2023 under Hardik Pandya’s captaincy, falling to the MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the final at the Narendra Modi Stadium.
Before the IPL 2024 auction in Dubai, Pandya left Gujarat to join his previous team, the Mumbai Indians (MI). Following this decision, GT named opener Shubman Gill as captain for the 2024 season. The Titans will continue to play a combative brand of cricket under their new captain. In the 2024 auction, they spent INR 30.30 crore to add eight players to the roster. Following this development, it is time to have a look at the finest XI of the 2022 IPL Champions.
Gujarat Titans Playing XI for the IPL 2024
1. Shubman Gill (C)
Shubman Gill will take the captaincy for the first time in the lucrative league. The young batter looked gorgeous in 2023. He scored 890 runs in 17 matches at a remarkable strike rate of 157.80, finishing as the competition’s leading run-getter. GT has handed Gill the team’s reins in recognition of his outstanding achievement in 2023.
The Gujarat franchise will look to Gill to justify his role as captain and specialist hitter. As the pack’s leader, he will aim to be involved in huge runs and set an example for other players to follow. Prior to the showpiece competition, the top player will want to score some big runs for India against Afghanistan in a three-match T20 International (T20I) series, since he hasn’t looked brilliant with the bat in the last few T20Is.
2. Wriddhiman Saha (WK)
Wriddhiman Saha has played a lot of IPL cricket in his extensive cricketing career, and his responsibility will be to give the squad a solid start alongside his skipper Gill. In the previous IPL season, he performed admirably with the bat, scoring 371 runs in 17 matches with a strike rate of 129.26.
An experienced will be one of the GT squad’s most senior players, and his extensive expertise will help the team achieve success. However, his recent statistics are alarming, as he failed to make an impression for his native team Tripura in the critical competitions Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and Vijay Hazare Trophy.
3. Kane Williamson
In the 2023 World Cup, he demonstrated his fitness with some quality performances. The 33-year-old will be an important figure for Gujarat, as his role will be to provide support to the team’s top order with young Gill and experienced Saha. The New Zealander has played in the league since 2015, scoring 2101 runs in 77 matches at a strike rate of 126.03.
4. Sai Sudharsan
Sai Sudharsan earned the trust of the GT team management following his outstanding batting performance for the squad in 2023. He appeared in eight games and scored 362 runs with an incredible strike rate of 141.40. His standout effort came against CSK in the final. On a big day, he scored 96 runs off 47 deliveries to become the contest’s leading run-getter.
Sudharsan may be relegated in the batting order as a result of Williamson’s return, but his value remains unchanged. As a middle-order batter, he must contribute meaningfully to the team’s success. Sudharsan will need to be among the runners to go into the tournament comfortably, as he did not perform well in the last two home tournaments.
5. David Miller
David Miller will be expected to deliver crucial hits with his bat in the IPL 2024. In the past two seasons, the southpaw performed admirably for the team. Following Pandya’s departure from the team, the Protea stalwart will play an even more important role in the Titans’ middle order.
Miller contributed 481 runs in 16 matches as GT won the prized championship in their maiden season in 2022. The 34-year-old is regarded as one of the greatest at batting in clutch situations. He hopes to demonstrate his abilities once more in the GT jersey. His most recent remarkable achievement was in the 2023 World Cup, where he scored 356 runs in 10 matches with an impressive strike rate of 107.87.
6. Shahrukh Khan
After being released from the Punjab Kings (PBKS), Shahrukh Khan joined GT for a whopping INR 7.40 crore. The Chennai-born player is known for his aggressive hitting style, and given his exceptional talent, GT may assign him to play the role of finisher.
The 28-year-old has extensive experience in the domestic circuit. Representing Tamil Nadu, he has 928 runs in 70 innings with a strike rate of 133.52. Gujarat Titans’ management will want their new player to excel with his bat and become a valuable asset to the team.
7. Rahul Tewatia
The Gujarat Titans will need their powerful batter Rahul Tewatia to play the role of a finisher for the squad. With his feisty batting ability, the left-handed batter has taken games away from opponents on multiple occasions. In 2023, he was unable to contribute significantly to the squad, but he will attempt to flex his arms again in the coming season.
The 30-year-old is doing admirably for Haryana in the 2023-24 domestic season. In the 2023-24 Vijay Hazare Trophy, he scored 352 runs in seven innings with an impressive strike rate of 131.34. He also averaged more than 175.00 in the competition. Gujarat fans would be ecstatic with these numbers.
8. Rashid Khan
Rashid Khan will lead GT’s spin attack again in the IPL 2024. Since joining the organization in 2022, the top Afghan player has constantly produced remarkable figures with the ball. Titans finished second last season, with Rashid contributing 27 wickets in 17 games.
Rashid would strive to continue his outstanding performance for the team in the forthcoming tournament. The star bowler was Afghanistan’s leading wicket-taker in the 2023 World Cup, with 11 wickets in nine games at a 4.48 economy rate. His fans will be eager to see him in GT colours again.
9. Mohammed Shami
Mohammed Shami accomplished an excellent job for India in the 2023 World Cup. He finished with 24 wickets in seven matches, making him the tournament’s leading wicket-taker. Earlier in the year, he won the purple cap in the 2023 IPL after taking 28 wickets for GT in 17 games at an economy rate of 8.03.
Gujarat supporters will have high expectations for him in the 2024 IPL season after his outstanding bowling performance in 2023. Shami will also want to play brave cricket in the forthcoming event and provide the necessary outcomes for his squad.
10. Spencer Johnson
Spencer Johnson, an Australian left-handed pacer, was signed for INR 10 crore by the Gujarat-based club for the 2024 IPL season. Johnson will add variety to the speed assault with his bowling. The 28-year-old has competed in Australia’s home circuit for over six years. During this time, he has played 22 T20s and taken 20 wickets at an economy rate of 7.85.
The paceman is now playing for the Brisbane Heat in the 2023-24 Big Bash League (BBL), and he hopes to be among the wickets as the team heads to the cash-rich league with confidence. Along with Shami and Mohit Sharma, he can be devastating for opponents and produce strong bowling figures for the team.
11. Mohit Sharma
Mohit Sharma looked great for GT in 2023, taking 27 wickets in 14 games at an economy rate of 8.17. With these figures, he finished as the competition’s second-leading wicket-taker. Prior to the competition, he was not projected to be among the top wicket-takers, but he used his experience for the team and became the talk of the town with his dazzling performance.
The 35-year-old is likely to maintain his strong performance for the GT team in the IPL 2024 season. In the recently concluded 2023-24 Vijay Hazare Trophy, the pacer demonstrated discipline with the ball, taking nine wickets in seven games at a 3.86 economy rate.