5 Players Gujarat Titans (GT) Can Release Ahead Of IPL 2023

Gujarat Titans lifted the IPL 2022 cup after thumping Rajasthan Royals by seven wickets in the final on May 29 in Ahmedabad.

The IPL debutants won their first title in the maiden season under the astute leadership of all-rounder Hardik Pandya, who scored 34 and picked 3/17 in the final.

Gujarat Titans had different match-winners in the ranks of Rashid Khan, David Miller, Rahul Tewatia, Lockie Ferguson, Wriddhiman Saha and Shubman Gill. The Titans topped the points table with 10 wins in 14 games anf remained undefeated in the IPL 2022 playoffs against Rajasthan Royals.

Let us take a look at 5 players that Gujarat Titans could release ahead of the next IPL season.

5 Players Gujarat Titans Can Release Ahead Of IPL 2023

1. Vijay Shankar

Shankar played just four matches for the IPL 2022 champions and warmed the bench for the rest of the season owing to poor form.

The Tamil Nadu all-rounder managed scores of 4,13,2 and 0 in his four innings, averaging 4.75. He bowled just nine deliveries this season conceding 15 runs without any wicket.

2. Matthew Wade

The Australian wicketkeeper-batter amassed 157 runs in 10 innings at an average of 15.70 and a strike rate of 113.77.

Wade was preferred as Titans’ first-choice wicketkeeper ahead of Wriddhiman Saha. But Australia’s semi-final hero in T20 World Cup failed to repeat his spark for the Gujarat outfit in IPL 2022.

Wade scored 68 runs in the first five games and was subsequently benched with Saha replacing him in the playing XI.

Saha’s brilliant run with the bat hinted Wade wouldn’t get an opportunity for the Titans.

However, the franchise reinstated the southpaw’s place in the team but at No.3, where he scored 89 runs in five innings. Wade’s best score was 35 against Rajasthan Royals in the Qualifier 1 game.

3)  Varun Aaron

The 32-year-old right-arm pace bowler played the first two matches for the Titans against Lucknow Super Giants and Delhi Capitals.

Aaron picked the wickets of Evin Lewis and Ayush Badoni in the first game but went expensive, leaking 45 runs from four overs.

He bowled just one over in the Delhi Capitals clash and warmed the bench for the remaining games this year.

4) Dominic Drakes     

The 24-year-old pacer, who has played five T20I matches for West Indies, didn’t play a single game for the IPL 2022 winners.

With the presence of Lockie Ferguson and Alzarri Joseph in the Titans squad, Drakes’ chance of making the cut in the playing XI was a challenging task for the team management. 

Drakes has claimed 23 wickets in 24 T20 matches at an economy rate of 9.39. He played a match-winning knock with the bat in helping St Kitts and Nevis Patriots win the CPL 2021 final.

Drakes scored an unbeaten 48 off 24 balls against St Lucia Kings to guide SNP to a three-wicket win in the final.

5) Gurkeerat Singh Mannn

Gurkeerat didn’t play for Gujarat Titans for the entire IPL 2022 as the franchise gave opportunities to youngsters like Shubman Gill, Abhinav Manohar and Sai Sudarshan to play ahead of the Punjab batter.

The 31-year-old has scored 511 runs in 32 IPL innings playing for Punjab Kings and Royal Challengers Bangalore. 

He played his last game for RCB in IPL 2020 against Sunrisers Hyderabad in Sharjah.