The newly introduced IPL team in Ahmedabad has been named Gujarat Titans, as confirmed by team owner Siddharth Patel on February 9, 2023. This franchise is one of the two additions to the IPL, alongside Lucknow Super Giant, set to participate in the upcoming 2023 IPL season.
Gujarat Titans have selected the Narendra Modi Stadium, the world’s largest cricket stadium, as their home ground. The ownership of the Ahmedabad IPL team is under CVC Capital Partners.
In a significant announcement, Hardik Pandya, who was released by the Mumbai Indians in the IPL Mega auction, has been named the captain of the Gujarat Titans. The former Indian bowler, Ashish Nehra, has been appointed as the head coach of the team.
Meanwhile, Gary Kirsten, the coach who guided India to victory in the 2011 ODI World Cup, will serve as the batting coach and mentor for the Gujarat IPL team.
The Evolution of Ahmedabad’s IPL Team, Gujarat Titans
The IPL’s Governing Council extended invitations to two more teams to join the league. Subsequently, 22 entities showed interest in participating. However, due to the elevated base price, only six committed bidders proceeded.
Ultimately, Corporate Venture Capital (CVC) Partners secured ownership of the franchise with a winning bid of $750 million. Notably, CVC Partners, the proprietor of the Ahmedabad IPL team for 2023, is a British private equity firm.
The auction, which took place in Dubai in October 2023, witnessed the team selecting Hardik Pandya from the released Mumbai squad. In the auction, the team’s management designated him as the captain of the Ahmedabad IPL team for 2023.
It’s worth noting that Gujarat Titans had three players already on their roster before the Mega auction, namely Hardik Pandya, Rashid Khan, and Shubman Gill. This marks the second team for these three players in their IPL careers.
Additionally, the Titans’ management is set to compensate both Pandya and Rashid Khan with INR 15 crore ($2.02 million) each, while Shubman Gill will receive INR 8 crore ($1.07 million). With a total expenditure of INR 38 crore on roster players, the remaining INR 52 crore would be allocated for assembling the complete team.
Today GT Match Schedule 2023 – Gujarat Titans Match List 2023:
| Match No | IPL Teams | Match Date | Match Time | Match Stadium | Match Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 04 | Gujrat Titans (GT) Vs Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) | MON 28 MARCH, 2022 | 19:30 IST (14:00 GMT) | Wankhede Stadium | Mumbai |
| 10 | Gujrat Titans (GT) Vs Delhi Capitals (DC) | SAT 2 APRIL, 2022 | 19:30 IST (14:00 GMT) | MCA Stadium | Pune |
| 16 | Punjab Kings (PBKS) Vs Gujrat Titans (GT) | FRI 8 APRIL, 2022 | 19:30 IST (14:00 GMT) | Brabourne – CCI | Mumbai |
| 21 | Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) Vs Gujrat Titans (GT) | MON 11 APRIL, 2022 | 19:30 IST (14:00 GMT) | DY Patil Stadium | Navi Mumbai |
| 24 | Rajasthan Royals (RR) Vs Gujrat Titans (GT) | THU 14 APRIL, 2022 | 19:30 IST (14:00 GMT) | DY Patil Stadium | Navi Mumbai |
| 29 | Gujrat Titans (GT) Vs Chennai Super Kings (CSK) | SUN 17 APRIL, 2022 | 19:30 IST (14:00 GMT) | MCA Stadium | Pune |
| 35 | Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) Vs Gujrat Titans (GT) | SAT 23 APRIL, 2022 | 15:30 IST (10:00 GMT) | DY Patil Stadium | Navi Mumbai |
| 40 | Gujrat Titans (GT) Vs Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) | WED 27 APRIL, 2022 | 19:30 IST (14:00 GMT) | Wankhede Stadium | Mumbai |
| 43 | Gujrat Titans (GT) Vs Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) | SAT 30 APRIL, 2022 | 15:30 IST (10:00 GMT) | Brabourne – CCI | Mumbai |
| 48 | Gujrat Titans (GT) Vs Punjab Kings (PBKS) | TUE 3 MAY, 2022 | 19:30 IST (14:00 GMT) | DY Patil Stadium | Navi Mumbai |
| 51 | Gujrat Titans (GT) Vs Mumbai Indians (MI) | FRI 6 MAY, 2022 | 19:30 IST (14:00 GMT) | Brabourne – CCI | Mumbai |
| 57 | Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) Vs Gujrat Titans (GT) | TUE 10 MAY, 2022 | 19:30 IST (14:00 GMT) | MCA Stadium | Pune |
| 62 | Chennai Super Kings (CSK) Vs Gujrat Titans (GT) | SUN 15 MAY, 2022 | 15:30 IST (10:00 GMT) | Wankhede Stadium | Mumbai |
| 67 | Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) Vs Gujrat Titans (GT) | THU 19 MAY, 2022 | 19:30 IST (14:00 GMT) | Wankhede Stadium | Mumbai |
Exploring the Origins of the Mega Auction in the Tata IPL 2024
Yet, ahead of the mega auction in 2024, the Gujarat Titans strategically selected their initial trio of players. During the mega auction, the team was tasked with completing their squad by acquiring the remaining players.
Having invested Rs 38 crore in the initial player selections, the team retained Rs 52 crore for the comprehensive formation of their squad during the 2024 auction. This allocation was in adherence to the BCCI’s stipulation of Rs 90 crore for each team’s expenditure on player acquisitions.
By the conclusion of the two-day mega auction for the 2024 season, Gujarat Titans successfully secured the signatures of 18 new players. Notably, following the acquisitions of Pandya and Rashid Khan, the Titans made a significant investment in Lockie Ferguson, a fast bowler from New Zealand, marking the highest expenditure for the team.
Nevertheless, on the opening day of the 2024 auction, Gujarat Titans made significant additions by acquiring a total of 7 players for Rs 33.15 crore, including 3 overseas players.
Gujarat Titans (GT) Team In Tata IPL Auction 2024 (IPL Auction GT Player List) –
| S. No. | Players | Price | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hardik Pandya | INR 15 crore | Bought Player before Auction |
| 2 | Rashid Khan | INR 15 crore | Bought Player before Auction |
| 3 | Shubman Gill | INR 8 crore | Bought Player before Auction |
| 4 | Mohammed Shami | INR 6.25 crore | Bought Player on First Day |
| 5 | Jason Roy | INR 2 crore | Bought Player on First Day |
| 6 | Lockie Ferguson | INR 10 crore | Bought Player on First Day |
| 7 | Abhinav Sadarangani | INR 2.6 crore | Bought Player on First Day |
| 8 | Rahul Tewatia | INR 9 crore | Bought Player on First Day |
| 9 | Noor Ahmad | INR 30 lakh | Bought Player on First Day |
| 10 | R Sai Kishore | INR 3 crore | Bought Player on First Day |
| 11 | Dominic Drakes | INR 1.10 crore | Bought Player on 2nd Day |
| 12 | Jayant Yadav | INR 1.70 crore | Bought Player on 2nd Day |
| 13 | Vijay Shankar | INR 1.40 crore | Bought Player on 2nd Day |
| 14 | Darshan Nalkande | INR 20 lakh | Bought Player on 2nd Day |
| 15 | Yash Dayal | INR 3.2 crore | Bought Player on 2nd Day |
| 16 | Alzarri Joseph | INR 2.4 crore | Bought Player on 2nd Day |
| 17 | David Miller | INR 3 crore | Bought Player on 2nd Day |
| 18 | Wriddhiman Saha | INR 1.9 crore | Bought Player on 2nd Day |
| 19 | Matthew Wade | INR 2.4 crore | Bought Player on 2nd Day |
| 20 | Gurkeerat Singh | INR 50 lakh | Bought Player on 2nd Day |
| 21 | Varun Aaron | INR 50 lakh | Bought Player on 2nd Day |
Gujarat Titans (GT) Best Playing 11 of season 17: IPL 2024
| GT TOP 11 |
|---|
| 1. Wriddhiman Saha (wk) |
| 2. Shubman Gill |
| 3. Kane Williamson |
| 4. Hardik Pandya (c) |
| 5. Vijay Shankar |
| 6. Rahul Tewatia |
| 7. Rashid Khan |
| 8. Mohammed Shami |
| 9. Joshua Little |
| 10. Yash Dayal |
| 11. Alzarri Joseph |
Gujarat Titans Entire Team
In the latest developments of IPL 2024, Mumbai contemplated releasing Hardik Pandya due to his struggles with fitness and form. However, Gujarat Titans took a different approach, placing their confidence in him and appointing him as the captain of the Ahmedabad IPL team.
Meanwhile, the buzz around the league revolved around Rashid Khan. Despite expectations that Sunrisers Hyderabad would retain him, given his impressive record of playing all 76 matches since his debut and securing 93 wickets with a 6.33 economy rate—making him the second-highest wicket-taker in the last 5 IPL seasons—they surprisingly released him for the draft. Gujarat Titans seized the opportunity, securing Rashid Khan for Rs 15 crore in the first chance.
On the other front, Shubman Gill, considered Kolkata’s brightest young talent and a potential future captain, became a focal point for the team. Despite his prominence, Kolkata opted for different choices, leading to an unexpected turn of events.
With these narratives in play, Gujarat Titans finalized their team, and Rahmanullah Gurbaj joined the squad following Jason Roy’s voluntary withdrawal.
Gujarat Titans IPL Team of 2024
| Players |
|---|
| 1. Wriddhiman Saha (wk) |
| 2. Shubman Gill |
| 3. Kane Williamson |
| 4. Hardik Pandya (c) |
| 5. Vijay Shankar |
| 6. Rahul Tewatia |
| 7. Rashid Khan |
| 8. Mohammed Shami |
| 9. Joshua Little |
| 10. Yash Dayal |
| 11. Alzarri Joseph |
| 12. Sai Sudharsan |
| 13. Jayant Yadav |
| 14. Mohit Sharma |
| 15. Srikar Bharat |
| 16. Abhinav Manohar |
| 17. Pradeep Sangwan |
| 18. Matthew Wade |
| 19. Odean Smith |
| 20. Ravisrinivasan Sai Kishore |
| 21. Shivam Mavi |
| 22. Darshan Nalkande |
| 23. Urvil Patel |
| 24. Noor Ahmad |
Management and Personnel of Gujarat Titans
The role of CEO at Gujarat Titans is currently unoccupied. Apart from this, the following individuals lead the team’s administration and coaching staff.
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Owner of the team | Corporate Venture Capital (CVC) Capital Partners |
| Cricket Director | Vikram Solanki |
| Head Coach | Ashish Nehra |
| Batting Coach and Mentor of the team | Gary Kirsten |
| Spin Bowling Coach | Aashish Kapoor |
In IPL 2024, Gujarat Titans emerge as one of the league’s newest entrants, showcasing a well-balanced and formidable team. The roster includes top-class spinner Rashid Khan and accomplished batter David Miller, promising a dynamic and competitive performance.
Anticipation surrounds the return of Hardik Pandya to peak form and fitness, especially since he assumes the role of the full-time captain for the 2024 IPL season.
An additional noteworthy aspect is the team’s home ground, located at the world’s largest cricket stadium. This not only enhances the team’s playing environment but also adds significant brand value to Gujarat Titans.