Gujarat Titans (GT) are one of the two new teams added to the Indian Premier League (IPL) ahead of the upcoming 15th edition of the tournament. GT will be led by India all-rounder Hardik Pandya. The side drafted Pandya, Shubman Gill and Afghanistan spinner Rashid Khan before the mega auction.

If Lockie Ferguson, Rahul Tewatia, Mohammad Shami, Yash Dayal and David Miller are among their five most expensive picks in the mega auction ahead of the IPL season, it wouldn’t be wrong to say that GT did not do a great job at the auction.

Strong sides

Although Gujarat Titans did not have the best start in the IPL 2022 auction, they did manage to get some valuable players with proven track records to their side.

  • Jason Roy at the top order is a match-winner. He gives GT the quick starts, giving his opening partner Gill the time to settle in.
  • If Pandya and David Miller do click, GT has great finishing options in these two. Rashid’s presence will only help GT further.
  • Uncapped Yash Dayal might be a surprise package for them and the opponents too. The left-armer gets bounce and movement at a decent pace.

Weak spots

If Hardik is injured, GT does not have a clear replacement. Miller has shown in the past that he can be a great finisher, but he struggles against spin and most teams have used that against him. His recent IPL form hasn’t been great either… Apart from Rashid and Ferguson, and to some extent Shami, GT do not have enough fine options in the bowling department. They will certainly struggle to find a partner for Kiwi pacer Ferguson in the death overs.

Major Rivals

Gujarat Titans are one of the two completely new franchises with no IPL history until now. Mumbai Indians (MI) could be one of the major rivals of GT this season, considering Pandya played for MI previously.

Chances to win

Although some claim that GT assembled a balanced team, with their current squad it is difficult to see them winning the IPL 2022 title.

Gujarat Titans IPL 2022 full squad

Gujarat IPL 2022 Squad – Jason Roy, Wriddhiman Saha, Shubman Gill, Vijay Shankar, Abhinav Manohar, Hardik Pandya, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Yash Dayal, Lockie Ferguson, Mohammed Shami, Noor Ahmad, Dominic Drakes, Jayant Yadav, Darshan Nalkande, R Sai Kishore, Alzarri Joseph, Pradeep Sangwan, David Miller, Matthew Wade, Gurkeerat Singh, B Sai Sudharshan.

Players to watch for…

If fit and in form, Hardik Pandya is certainly a force to be reckoned with. Even if he cannot bowl, he can do the job with the bat. Pandya can be a fine finisher for his side. The ability to hit sixes can change the game and that is what Pandya does. By bowling, he’ll only bring in a natural balance. Former Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) star Rashid Khan was a gold pick by GT. He will lead the bowling attack as he is still among the feared spinners in the world. He is easily the most dependable and consistent bowler right now. His IPL numbers speak for him: 93 wickets in 77 matches with an economy rate of just 6.33. New Zealand fast bowler, Lockie Ferguson, is another player to watch out for. He has 24 wickets in 22 games in the IPL so far. He will come handy in the death overs.