Top 3 Gujarat Titans Buy At IPL 2024 Auction
Shubman Gill will lead Gujarat Titans in IPL 2024 [X.com]
A franchise that has managed to build a large fanbase and gain instant success in the Indian Premier League (IPL) has been Gujarat Titans.
Titans, who stepped into the world of IPL in 2022, went on to create history and clinch their maiden title in their inaugural season itself which showcases their preparedness and hard work behind the scenes.
Under first-time captain Hardik Pandya and head coach Ashish Nehra, the franchise outperformed other much more famed teams, moving steadily into the final, and won a memorable final against Rajasthan Royals.
Gujarat entered the 2023 edition as defending champions, with more pressure and eyeballs around them, having achieved glory the first time.
The team looked more solid and cohesive than the first year, which highlighted the method that went into building a long-term vision.
Titans finished on top of the points table and qualified for the IPL 2023 Final, where they came up against Chennai Super Kings, who thanks to the DLS method won the match and clinched their record-equalling fifth T20 trophy.
Heading into the 2024 season, Mumbai Indians (MI) managed to pull off a massive heist, securing ex-all-rounder Pandya back into their squad for an undisclosed amount that created quite a social media uproar.
Pandya's departure witnessed Titans elevate young Shubman Gill to the role of captain, whose first duty was to handle the IPL 2024 Auctions, where Gujarat went in with the maximum purse — INR 38.15 crore.
In the mini-auction, the Nehra-coached franchise did not splurge much having already formed a core side in the first two years, which enabled them to just pick players to fill in small gaps.
In this article, we at OneCricket look into the top 3 buys of Gujarat Titans during IPL 2024 Auctions.
Azmatullah Omarzai
Azmatullah Omarzai starred for Afghanistan in WC 2023 [X.com]
With Pandya leaving, a glaring hole in the GT squad was for a genuine all-rounder, which Afghanistan's Azmatullah Omarzai could very well fit in. Purchased for INR 50 lakhs, Omarzai is known for his power-packed batting, which coupled with his reight-arm pace bowling adds depth to any playing XI.
Omarzai, 23, starred for Afghanistan in the ICC World Cup 2023, slamming 353 runs and picking seven wickets, adding more weight behind his purchase.
Omarzai has showcased immense potential as a lower-order batter who can score big runs and also bat as per the situation, and is more than just a part-time bowler, claiming 63 wickets in 65 T20s.
Shahrukh Khan
Shahrukh Khan seen chatting with MS Dhoni [X.com]
Despite starring for Tamil Nadu in T20 competitions over the years, Shahrukh Khan never scaled heights in the IPL with Punjab Kings, leading to his non-retention for the 2024 season.
Khan, who is known for his big-hitting abilities, came into the auction with a lower base price and got picked up by Titans for INR 7.40 crore. Lack of Pandya in the middle-order could be a major factor for Nehra and Co. opting for Khan, who in the last year has been inconsistent but displays immense potential.
In TNPL 2023, Khan starred with the ball strangely, claiming 17 wickets, while with the bat, scored 133 runs at an astounding strike rate of 190, which is why GT and other teams showcased their interest in the 28-year-old.
Spencer Johnson
Spencer Johnson has played 1 ODI and 2 T20I for Australia [X.com]
On a field day for Australian bowlers, young Adelaide-based pacer Spencer Johnson extracted INR 10 crore from Gujarat Titans' bag of money and set eyeballs rolling. A fairly unknown entity, Johnson is known for death-overs bowling, which in the Big Bash League for Brisbane Heat, the 28-year-old has proved time and again/
Apart from immaculate line and length, Johnson can bowl with speed which can surprise any batter across all conditions, and being an left-arm bowler only adds to his advantage.
With GT's bowling consisting of Mohit Sharma, Umesh Yadav, and Mohammed Shami, Johnson's inclusion adds that X-factor as well, who has found fame in various T20 leagues as well.
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