"I wouldn't want Shami to play anywhere else" - Robin Uthappa says Gujarat Titans should '100%' use the RTM for Mohammed Shami in IPL 2025 auction

Robin Uthappa reckons the Gujarat Titans (GT) should definitely use the Right To Match (RTM) card for Mohammed Shami at the IPL 2025 auction. The former player pointed out that the veteran seamer has excelled at the Narendra Modi Stadium, the franchise's home ground.

The Titans have spent ₹51 crore to retain five players — Rashid Khan (₹18 crore), Shubman Gill (₹16.50 crore), Sai Sudharsan (₹8.50 crore), Rahul Tewatia (₹4 crore), and Shahrukh Khan (₹4 crore). They have a remaining budget of ₹69 crore and have an RTM card available that can be used for a capped player.

During a discussion on Star Sports, Uthappa responded in the affirmative when asked whether the Gujarat Titans should reacquire Shami with the RTM card.

"Yes, 100 percent. I wouldn't want Shami to play anywhere else because I love how he bowls at the Narendra Modi Stadium. I think he bowls exceptionally well there and that's given him a lot of confidence in his white-ball cricket as well," he said.

"I think that only has amplified his red-ball bowling as well. So from the perspective of how he plays for himself and for his franchise, and also for Indian cricket, from all those different perspectives, I prefer him to play here at the Gujarat Titans," Uthappa added.

With 28 wickets in 17 innings, Shami was the Purple Cap winner in IPL 2023. However, he was ruled out of IPL 2024 due to an ankle injury sustained during the 2023 ODI World Cup.

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"They need a wicketkeeper-batter" - Saba Karim on Ishan Kishan as Gujarat Titans' potential acquisition

Ishan Kishan was released by the Mumbai Indians ahead of the IPL 2025 auction. [P/C: iplt20.com]

In the same discussion, Saba Karim named Ishan Kishan as another big-ticket player the Gujarat Titans might look to acquire.

"They need a wicketkeeper-batter. They don't have Wriddhiman Saha. Matthew Wade is not there. What about Ishan Kishan? They do have the money. Can they go for someone like him? You have (Shubman) Gill and Sai Sudharsan at the top. So if they need to have a batter who can float around, that can be Ishan Kishan," he said.

Robin Uthappa concurred with Karim's views, highlighting Kishan's bonding with the Titans' skipper Shubman Gill.

"Ishan Kishan is a great pick for them. He is very close to Shubman Gill as well. I think that camaraderie and their relationship will add a lot of value at the top of the order for them since Sai (Sudharsan) will obviously slide down at No. 3. He (Kishan) will get a long run because there is no other wicketkeeper there. So he won't have that sword on the top of his head," he observed.

Uthappa and Karim named Noor Ahmad as another player the Gujarat Titans should look to reacquire. However, both agreed that the RTM card should be used for Mohammed Shami ahead of the Afghanistan mystery spinner.