3 players whom GT might target at IPL 2024 Auction to make up for Hardik Pandya's absence ft. Pat Cummins
Gujarat Titans have reportedly traded Hardik Pandya to Mumbai Indians ahead of the IPL 2024 Auction. The Ahmedabad-based franchise have raised quite a few eyebrows by allowing their skipper to leave the team after two hugely successful seasons.
With this move, the Gujarat Titans have boosted their IPL 2024 Auction purse by ₹15 crore. The Titans will have to sign some big names at the auction to make up for Hardik Pandya's absence.
In the last two seasons, Hardik Pandya not only did a fantastic job as the team's captain, but he also contributed well as a middle-order batter and pacer. His absence will hurt GT's balance.
Here's a list of three names the Titans can target at the auction as Hardik Pandya's potential replacement.
#1 Pat Cummins
Australian captain Pat Cummins had the best year of his life in 2023. He led the Australian team to the ICC World Test Championship trophy and ICC World Cup 2023 trophy in the same year. Australia also retained the Ashes in the UK while playing under Cummins' leadership.
Cummins has a decent amount of captaincy experience under his belt. The Aussie speedster has also played 42 matches in the IPL, representing the Kolkata Knight Riders and the Delhi Capitals.
Considering that the Gujarat Titans need a pace-bowling all-rounder who can also captain the team, Pat Cummins will be the perfect choice. However, GT will have to consider the fact that Cummins will priortize Australia's international schedule over the IPL and even think of leaving the team early for his country.
#2 Travis Head
Another Australian star to feature on the list is Travis Head. Gujarat Titans love players who can thrive under pressure. Head is one such player. He showed in the WTC Final and World Cup Final that he can score big against the best bowling units, irrespective of the conditions.
Head bats in the middle-order in the shortest format of the game. He can take Hardik Pandya's place at number four in Gujarat Titans' middle-order. He can also bowl a few overs of spin if needed by the Titans.
#3 Azmatullah Omarzai
Gujarat Titans also have a liking for Afghanistan players. They signed Rashid Khan quickly before the IPL 2022 Mega Auction and then nurtured young Noor Ahmad, who has become a main member of the Afghanistan team now.
Another Afghanistan player who can join the Titans soon is Azmatullah Omarzai. He is a pace-bowling all-rounder. Although Hardik Pandya's skills and experience are way more than Azmatullah, GT can think of signing the Afghanistan all-rounder so that the team's balance remains intact. Azmatullah can bat in the middle-order and act as a pace bowler for the team.
GT will have to work hard at the auction to make up for Pandya's absence. They have some experienced leaders such as Kane Williamson, Rashid Khan and Dasun Shanaka in their squad, but they do not have a quality all-rounder like Pandya.