Gujarat Titans played some fantastic cricket in the 15th edition of the Indian Premier League, winning the trophy in their inaugural season and cementing their place in history. They backed the bulk of their players to perform well in the run-up to the upcoming season, parting ways with just six cricketers.
With a goal of defending their title in the 16th edition, GT addressed the team’s deficiencies with top-tier players, and they now have a well-rounded group with a good mix of youth and experience. However, not all 25 players will be given a chance in the IPL 2023. Consider the cricketers who may not play a single game in the next season.
Here are three GT players that might be benched for the duration of the season.
Number 1. Mohit Sharma
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Mohit Sharma has a track record of success in the Indian Premier League. The ace pacer has appeared in 86 games and taken 92 wickets at an economy rate of 8.45. He has made the ball speak at the start of the innings and has consistently supplied his team with breakthroughs.
Mohit, on the other hand, has not had a steady run since IPL 2019. Mohit has extensive IPL experience, therefore the Gujarat Titans opted to put him in their lineup for the 16th season to bolster their bowling assault.
However, it is improbable that the Haryana native would be able to crack the starting XI for even a single game. Gujarat’s fast-bowling stocks include Indian seamers like as Mavi, Shami, Dayal, and Sangwan, and with the four present, Mohit’s prospects of making the squad are slim.
Number 2. Vijay Shankar
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Vijay Shankar is a well-known name on the Indian domestic circuit. In 92 List-A games, the 31-year-old has scored 2316 runs with a strike rate of 90.57. On the bowling front, he has 58 wickets at a 5.15 economy rate. At the 2022 mega auction, he was signed by the Gujarat Titans.
However, the Indian all-rounder was far from his best, scoring just 19 runs in four matches. He also did not make contact with the ball. Despite Shankar’s poor season, GT has decided to keep him for the 16th IPL season. However, it is unclear if he will be able to make the starting XI.
Gujarat have Kane Williamson at number three, who has been a run-bank in the IPL. They also have Sai Sudharsan, who had a good season last year, hitting 145 runs in five matches with an economy of 127.19. As a result, Shankar’s chances of playing in the next season are slim.
Number 3. Odean Smith
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Odean Smith sparked a lot of interest with his performances in the Caribbean Premier League 2021, where he took 18 wickets and smashed 126 runs at a strike rate of 132.63. The Punjab Kings loved what they saw in the West Indies all-rounder and chose him in the super auction in 2022.
However, the 25-year-old had a disappointing season, scoring just 51 runs in six games with a strike rate of 115.91. On the field, he gave up runs at an alarming rate of 11.87. Following his terrible performance, the Punjab franchise released him.
Gujarat Titans opted to make an investment on the ace all-rounder and signed him at the IPL 2023 auction. Odean, on the other hand, looks to be more of a backup option, and he may be benched for the whole season. Hardik Pandya, Rahul Tewatia, and Rashid Khan are among the gun multi-faceted players in the GT lineup. Odean is unlikely to make the squad due to the calibre of the all-rounders.
