No Hardik Pandya and Mohammed Shami - 3 ways how Gujarat Titans can cope in IPL 2024
Gujarat Titans (GT) have a challenging IPL campaign ahead of them after a tough and unprecedented off-season. The franchise have lost the services of all-rounder Hardik Pandya following a controversial trade move to the Mumbai Indians (MI).
As a result, the 2022 Indian Premier League (IPL) champions have appointed Shubman Gill as the new skipper to usher them into the new era. The team did their best to strengthen the team after Hardik Pandya's departure but had a mixed IPL mini-auction.
To make matters worse for Shubman Gill ahead of his first season as captain, he will not have Mohammed Shami in the squad. The right-arm pacer, who has been instrumental with the new ball for the franchise in the recent past, has been effectively ruled out of the season after undergoing surgery on his foot to address a long-term issue that had been brewing since the 2023 ODI World Cup.
On that note, let us take a look at how GT can cope in IPL 2024 without Hardik Pandya and Mohammed Shami.
#1 Banking on experience and youth in the bowling department
The odds of GT picking up a replacement player with a similar impact to that of Mohammed Shami is quite low, and as a result, the franchise will have to make do with the pace bowling resources that they have at present.
For what GT lack in terms of star power in their bowling department, the blend of experience and youth make up for it. The franchise will have to find the right combination of pacers from the player pool of Kartik Tyagi, Spencer Johnson, Joshua Little, Umesh Yadav, and Mohit Sharma. The team also has pace-bowling all-rounders in Azmatullah Omarzai and Vijay Shankar.
Mohit Sharma was quite proficient in the death overs and is likely to continue with the same role this time around as well. Shami's biggest trait was his ability to pick up wickets with the new ball, and although Umesh Yadav might be a level below Shami when it comes to this aspect, the veteran seamer does have the pace and the ability to make the new ball talk and get some impact.
#2 Going with two overseas pacers
Shami's injury certainly weakens GT's pace department, and the team may have to rely and overload on overseas candidates due to a lack of credible Indian options. Though Kartik Tyagi and Umesh Yadav come across as good options, they have been inconsistent of late.
To beef up the pace department, GT can consider either playing both Josh Little and Spencer Johnson in the playing XI, or either one of the left-arm seamer and Azmatullah Omarzai.
Two of GT's four overseas slots are arguably set in stone, with Rashid Khan and David Miller claiming those spots. However, with GT having solid Indian options for the roles that overseas players play such as Sai Sudarshan and Sai Kishore for Kane Williamson and Noor Ahmed, they can free up the slots to repair their wounded pace bowling unit.
GT also have the option of Rahul Tewatia as a bowling option to share the bowling load with the rest of the unit.
#3 Middle order has to step up
Hardik Pandya's unexpected departure leaves a gaping hole in the GT middle order. The all-rounder had played a crucial role in the team's IPL title win by adopting a new role after promoting himself in the batting order.
However, with him gone, GT need to find the ideal candidate who can be the bridge between the middle order and the finishers.
Vijay Shankar had a solid campaign in IPL 2023, but he needs to maintain this form as he has a huge role to play in Pandya's absence. He will have to be the anchoring presence at the crease who escalates the scoring while finishers like Shahrukh Khan and David Miller take on the bowlers.
The concern here for GT is that they do not have a Plan B as they lack options on the bench.
Will GT qualify for the playoffs following multiple setbacks in the lead-up to the season? Let us know what you think.