Gujarat Titans IPL 2023 Preview

The Gujarat Titans head into season 16 of the Indian Premier League as the reigning champions, and all eyes will be on Hardik Pandya and co. as they look to replicate their success from last year and defend their title. The Titans have added to their championship-winning core from 2022 with some astute additions in the off-season, acquiring experienced internationals such as Kane Williamson, and Odean Smith as well as promising young Indian stars like KS Bharat and Shivam Mavi to their squad.

Player to watch out for: Shubman Gill

Shubman Gill has taken his game to the next level since winning his maiden IPL title last season, with the highly-rated opener starring for India on the international stage. Gill is the highest run-getter in ODIs in 2023, smashing two centuries and a double ton for the Men in Blue to go along with his maiden three-figure score at home in Tests against Australia. The 23-year-old has established himself as one of the premier white-ball players in world cricket and will play a leading role for the Titans in their title defence in 2023.

Strengths 

The Titans’ varied bowling attack was one of the pillars behind their success in IPL 2022. In Rashid Khan, Gujarat have the leading bowler in the shortest format of the game, who can operate across all phases of the innings. Additionally, GT also complement Rashid with a well-rounder pace attack that includes Mohammed Shami, Alzarri Joseph, Hardik Pandya, and Joshua Little, as well as domestic spinners R Sai Kishore, Jayant Yadav, and Rahul Tewatia.

The Titans have also bolstered their bench strength in IPL 2023, with the purchases of Kane Williamson and Odean Smith offering the side some international experience and leadership.

Weaknesses

While Shubman Gill and Hardik Pandya are two seasoned internationals in Gujarat’s top order, there are some question marks surrounding the rest of the batters in the Titans line-up. The defending champions don’t have a reliable opener to partner Shubman Gill at the top of the order and could still be relying on a declining 38-year-old Wriddhiman Saha to give them some momentum in the powerplay.

The number three spot was also an issue for the Titans in their title-winning season, with Matthew Wade enduring a disappointing campaign in 2022, averaging 15 at a strike rate of 113. Gujarat will also have to cope without their premier middle-order batter David Miller for the first three games of the season due to international commitments, and there are some concerns about whether a lower order of Rahul Tewatia and Rashid Khan could be sustainable for another season.

Probable XI

Shubman Gill, Wriddhiman Saha, Matthew Wade, Hardik Pandya, David Miller, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Shivam Mavi, R Sai Kishore, Mohammed Shami, Alzarri Joseph