IPL 2022: 3 Gujarat Titans players who need to have a solid season

The Gujarat Titans signed 20 players at the IPL mega-auction in February. Their major signings included Lockie Ferguson (₹10 crores), Rahul Tewatia (₹9 crores), Mohammed Shami (₹6.25 crores), and Jason Roy (₹2 crores).

The Titans picked Rashid Khan (₹15 crores), Hardik Pandya (₹15 crores) and Shubman Gill (₹8 crores) in the drafts ahead of the IPL mega-auction. However, its overall performance in the draft and auction wasn't good, with multiple holes in the squad.

The Gujarat-based franchise will be making its debut in the Indian Premier League, so it definitely has a point to prove. Some of the players need to have a good season with the franchise so that the team has a good start to its IPL campaign and the players themselves build a stronger case for themselves in the long run.

Let's take a look at three players for whom this season will be very crucial.

#3 Vijay Shankar

Vijay Shankar has represented Chennai Super Kings (CSK), Delhi Capitals, and Sunrisers Hyderabad. In 47 matches, he has scored 712 runs at an average of 26.37 and a strike rate of 126.24. He has also taken 9 wickets at an economy rate of 8.62. The Titans acquired the all-rounder for ₹1.4 crores after a bidding war with CSK.

In May 2021, Shankar expressed a desire to bat higher up the order. He feels that he can contribute more to the team if he plays the role of a Watson or Kallis - batting in the top order and bowling occasionally.

Gujarat might just be the perfect IPL team to give him this opportunity. It has a relatively weak middle order in comparison to other teams in the competition and he can bat at number three or four consistently for them. Their top order could be as follows - Gill, Roy, Shankar, Abhinav Manohar Sadarangani, Hardik, Matthew Wade, and Rahul Tewatia.

#2 Shubman Gill

Shubman Gill made his IPL debut for the Kolkata Knight Riders in 2018. He was signed for ₹1.8 crores after finishing as the Player of the Tournament at the U-19 World Cup that year. In 58 matches, Gill has scored 1417 runs at an average of 31.48 and a strike rate of 123.

However, the Knight Riders released him after four years. His scoring rate has always been a point of contention, more so over the last couple of seasons when his strike rate has been below 120.

Although he is a special talent across formats, he is yet to arrive in T20. He certainly has the capability to increase his scoring rate with the wide array and range of shots he possesses in his arsenal. He will have a lot of responsibility on his shoulders, since the Gujarat middle-order is not the strongest in the competition.

#1 Hardik Pandya

Former Mumbai Indians all-rounder Hardik Pandya is now the captain of his home team in the IPL. In 92 matches for Mumbai, Hardik has scored 1476 runs at an average of 27.33 and a strike rate of 153.91. He has also taken 42 wickets at an economy rate of just above 9 runs per over.

However, 2021 wasn't a good year for Pandya in T20 cricket. He had a poor season with the bat - 127 runs at an average of 14.11 and a strike rate of 113.39. Persistent injury concerns prevented him from bowling. His performance at the ICC Men's T20 World Cup last year was bleak, as well.

As captain, and the most experienced Indian T20 player in Gujarat's predicted starting XI, he will have to lead by example if the team wants to go all the way.

A good IPL season will also pave the way for an easy entry into Team India - he will be an asset on the fast, bouncy pitches at the T20 World Cup in Australia later this year.