Gujarat Titans hope for turnaround from a well rounded line-up

Bengaluru: In their three-year existence, Gujarat Titans have experienced intoxicating high and endured crushing low. They took the Indian Premier League by storm in their debut season, 2022, by clinching the title. Then led by mercurial Hardik Pandya, the Titans showed their title win was no fluke by reaching the final the next season. In the final, they suffered a last-ball heartbreak with Ravindra Jadeja pulling off a Houdini act. 

The following season, there was a major shake-up in the team with their inspirational skipper Hardik moving to Mumbai Indians, forcing the Titans' management to install Shubman Gill as their new captain. It was a baptism by fire for the young man under whose watch the team finished a disappointing eighth. 

Just before the season is to unfold, GT's ownership also has changed hands and what kind of bearing it will have on the team remains to be seen.

On the face of it, Titans have lined-up a well-rounded squad having covered most of the bases though their middle-order lacks the requisite experience and firepower. 

In Gill, Jos Buttler and Sai Sudarshan, Titans have a solid top order but after them their choices are Glenn Phillps, Sherfane Rutherford, Washington Sundar, Shahrukh Khan, Anuj Rawat and Mahipal Lomror.

In Rahul Tewatia they have an accomplished finisher. Neither Phillips nor Rutherford have much of an IPL experience, but the former's recent form should augur well for Titans.

Besides being a live-wire on the field, where he pulls off impossible catches, Phillips has shown his big-hitting skills and handy off-spin bowling in recent white-ball outings for New Zealand.     

The bowling resources, too, brim with quality. Mohammed Siraj, Kagiso Rabada and Prasidh Krishna will be their first-choice pacers. Though all three are right-arm quicks, each one brings his own set of skills to the table, making it one of the most versatile pace attacks in the league.

Their fallback options aren't too bad either in Gerard Coetzee and Ishant Sharma.

Their spin department will be manned by leg-spinning wizard Rashid Khan with Washington and Nishant Sindhu, Sai Kishore offering variety with the first three of them known for their batting capabilities as well.

Squad: Shubman Gill (captain), Jos Buttler, Sai Sudarshan, Anuj Rawat, Arshad Khan, Gerald Coetzee, Glenn Phillips, Shahrukh Khan, Sherfane Rutherford, Washington Sundar, Kumar Kushagra, Nishant Sindhu, Mahipal Lomror, Jayant Yadav, Gurnoor Brar, Ishant Sharma,
Kagiso Rabada, Karim Janat, Kulwant Khejroliya, Manav Suthar, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Sai Kishore.

Overall record (2022-2024)

Matches: 45; Won: 28; Lost: 17; Win%: 62.22.

Highest total: 233/3 vs Mumbai Indians (Ahmedabad, May 26, 2023).

Lowest Total: 89 all out in 17.3 overs (Ahmedabad, Apr 17, 2024).