IPL 2023 Auction: 3 Gujarat Titans (GT) Players Punjab Kings (PBKS) Can Target

IPL 2023 Auction: 3 Gujarat Titans (GT) Players Punjab Kings (PBKS) Can Target.  Against all expectations, Gujarat Titans went on to win IPL 2022. No one gave them a chance after the auction ended. However, the management was brilliant with its utilization of resources and tactics. The team had a few issues after the bright start but finished the tournament well. Nevertheless, the opposition teams would now be warier of GT.

The Hardik Pandya-led squad will have to make a few changes and that will start with releasing some cricketers like batter Vijay Shankar, pacer Varun Aaron, Afghanistan spinner youngster Noor Ahmad and West Indies all-rounder Dominic Drakes before IPL 2023 auctions.

IPL 2022 winners Gujarat Titans have traded Lockie Ferguson and Rahmanullah Gurbaz to Shreyas Iyer’s Kolkata Knight Riders ahead of IPL 2023. The likes of Vijay Shankar, Matthew Wade, Varun Aaron, Dominic Drakes, and Gurkeerat Singh Mann may be released by the defending champions ahead of IPL 2023.

The defending champion Gujarat Titans are expected to retain Australian wicketkeeper-batsman Matthew Wade ahead of the IPL mini-auction in Kochi on December 23.

After the IPL 2022 mega auction, the cricket legends weighted Punjab Kings among the probable teams to reach the playoff and even win the IPL trophy. The reason was that they had a very good team comprising a bunch of talented utility players who could single-handedly win matches for the franchise.

But, after the IPL league stage finished, the Mayank Agarwal-led team found themselves packing their bags with just 7 wins from 14 matches, finishing the IPL 2022 points table in the 6^th position.

There will be a lot of brainstorming from now leading up to the 16^th edition of the IPL. The likes of Shahrukh Khan, Benny Howell, Sandeep Sharma, Vaibhav Arora, and even IPL 2022 skipper Mayank Agarwal may be released by the franchise.

According to several reports, the Mohali-based franchise is eyeing to release three expensive buys – Mayank Agarwal (INR 12 crore), Shahrukh Khan (INR 9 crore), and Odean Smith (INR 6 crore) – so that they will enter the mini-auction with a big purse.

Veteran Indian opener Shikhar Dhawan has been confirmed as the new captain of the Punjab Kings (PBKS) franchise for the forthcoming edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 on Wednesday. Shikhar Dhawan, who was not a part of the Indian T20I World Cup 2022 squad and is considered an ODI specialist and ODI skipper nowadays will replace another opener Mayank Agarwal as the leader of the Punjab-based franchise in the IPL 2023.

IPL 2023 Auction: 3 Gujarat Titans (GT) Players Punjab Kings (PBKS) Can Target

Gurkeerat Singh Mann

The veteran Punjab all-rounder is one of the most experienced middle-order batters in the Indian domestic circuit. Gujarat Titans shelled out INR 50 lakh for Gurkeerat Singh Mann in the auction for IPL 2022.

The right-handed batter is a decent option to have in the middle order as he can also bowl part-time off-spin bowling. However, with the rise of Sai Sudharsan and Abhinav Manohar, Gurkeerat Singh Mann failed to break into Gujarat Titans’ playing XI in IPL 2022.

Gurkeerat Singh Mann’s all-round abilities could attract interest from other franchises, hence, Gujarat Giants could offload the Punjab player in the ongoing trade window ahead of the auctions for IPL 2023.

Punjab Kings may target the all-rounder in IPL 2023 as Gurkeerat Singh Mann made his IPL debut in 2012 for Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings).  He has scored 511 runs in 41 IPL games averaging 21.29 and has also taken 5 scalps averaging 19.4.

Vijay Shankar

Versatile with the bat and someone who controls the middle overs with the bat, Vijay Shankar was bought by the Gujarat Titans for INR 1.4 crore at the IPL 2022 Mega Auction. However, he had a horrible IPL 2022, where he managed a horrible outing scoring only 19 runs in 4 T20Is averaging a mere 4.75 at a below-par strike rate of 54.29.

He also had a poor IPL 2021, scoring 58 runs in 7 games averaging 11.6. He may be targeted by Punjab Kings in IPL 2023. He had played the most games for Sunrisers Hyderabad-33 scoring exactly 500 runs. He has also taken 9 scalps-8 for SRH.

Varun Aaron

An experienced fast bowler, Varun Aaron was bought by the Gujarat Titans for his base price of INR 50 lakhs at the IPL 2022 Mega Auction. One of the fastest bowlers in India, Varun Aaron’s career had been marred by injuries time and again deflating his innate talent.

Varun Aaron has represented 5 IPL teams and he last played a match in IPL 2020 edition of the league. The 2014 and 2017 seasons were the most effective ones for Varun Aaron who had shown signs of maturity over the years.

He’s represented the Delhi Capitals, Kolkata Knight Riders, Royal Challengers Bangalore, and Rajasthan Royals, and this season he donned the GT jersey. He picked 2 scalps in as many IPL 2022 games averaging 26 and conceded runs at an economy rate of 10.4. He had failed to pick a wicket in IPL 2020 playing 3 games. He may be targeted by Punjab in IPL 2023 auctions.