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Holder in trouble after IND-PAK comments: 3 potential replacements GT can sign for IPL 2026

Kaushik Kashyap

3 players Gujarat Titans can target as replacement. [Source - ILT20]3 players Gujarat Titans can target as replacement. [Source - ILT20]

Gujarat Titans’ star all-rounder Jason Holder has stirred some chatter with his recent comments on India–Pakistan tensions. On the podcast Game On with Grace, he said he does not like the ongoing “India-Pakistan beef” and expressed disappointment over India deciding not to accept the Asia Cup 2025 trophy.

Holder was one of the standout performers in T20 cricket during the year 2025, earning him a key spot in Gujarat Titans’ IPL 2026 squad. But his recent comments on India-Pakistan tensions could put him in some trouble, and the franchise might start thinking about backup options.

The West Indies all-rounder was bought for ₹7 crore in the IPL auction and is still part of Gujarat Titans’ squad. Still, with the season approaching, here is a look at three pace-bowling all-rounders Gujarat Titans could target as a replacement for Jason Holder.

1. Evan Jones

  • Big-built pace-bowling all-rounder Evan Jones can slot in as a like-for-like Jason Holder replacement, offering balance and late-order hitting at the No. 6–7 position for Gujarat Titans.
  • Striking at 182 for Durban’s Super Giants in SA20 2026, with a death-overs strike rate of 233, Jones provides the kind of finishing impact Holder was expected to deliver with the bat.
  • A strong domestic T20 season in South Africa with 10 wickets in five matches and a heavy-ball bowling style makes him well-suited to Ahmedabad conditions, where bounce and hard lengths are rewarded.

2. Ayush Vartak

  • Young Mumbai pace-bowling all-rounder Ayush Vartak offers an Indian Jason Holder replacement option, combining raw power with the ability to bat at No. 6-7, a role Gujarat Titans urgently need to strengthen.
  • Vartak’s late-order hitting stood out for Mumbai in U23 Men's State A Trophy, where he scored 363 runs at a strike rate of 169.62, smashing 26 sixes, the second-most in the competition, underlining his potential as a fearless power hitter who also adds a seam-bowling option.

3. Manisankar Murasingh

  • Tripura pace-bowling all-rounder Manisankar Murasingh enjoyed an outstanding Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy campaign, emerging as one of the most impactful all-round performers of the season.
  • Murasingh scored 277 runs in the tournament, the ninth-highest in the group stage, averaging 46.16 at a blistering strike rate of 172.04, while smashing 21 sixes, only behind Abhishek Sharma and Ayush Mhatre at the end of the group stage.
  • With the ball, he added further value by picking up six wickets while maintaining an impressive economy of just 7.6, strengthening his case as a genuine seam-bowling all-rounder option capable of filling the Jason Holder void in Gujarat Titans.