Gujarat Titans made their IPL debut in the previous season and won the title in their very first edition, proving to be the most convincing side with their all-around excellence. Ahead of IPL 2023, the Hardik Pandya-led team has strengthened their squad and added new players to retain their titles.
Let’s take a look at the Gujarat Titans’ history, current squad, strengths, weaknesses, form, and chances of winning this year’s IPL.
History
The team had a remarkable debut season in IPL 2022, clinching the title after defeating Rajasthan Royals in the final. Pandya led the team by example with his all-around performances, and they will look to continue their run in the upcoming season.
Full Squad
The team’s squad for IPL 2023 comprises some exciting players like Shubman Gill, Kane Williamson, David Miller, Rashid Khan, and Mohammed Shami. The team has strengthened its middle order by adding explosive power hitters like Rahul Tewatia and Yashasvi Jaiswal.
Full squad of Gujarat Titans:
- Ashish Nehra (Head coach)
- Hardik Pandya (C) – All-Rounder
- Shubman Gill – Batsman
- David Miller – Batsman
- Abhinav Manohar – Batsman
- Sai Sudharsan – Batsman
- Wriddhiman Saha – Batsman/Wicket-keeper
- Matthew Wade – Batsman/Wicket-keeper
- Rashid Khan – Bowler
- Rahul Tewatia – All-Rounder
- Vijay Shankar – All-Rounder
- Mohammed Shami – Bowler
- Alzarri Joseph – Bowler
- Yash Dayal – Bowler
- Pradeep Sangwan – Bowler
- Darshan Nalkande – All-Rounder
- Jayant Yadav – All-Rounder
- R Sai Kishore – Bowler
- Noor Ahmad – Bowler
- Kane Williamson – Batsman
- Odean Smith – All-Rounder
- KS Bharat – Wicket-keeper
- Shivam Mavi – All-Rounder
- Urvil Patel – Wicket-keeper
- Joshua Little – Bowler
- Mohit Sharma – Bowler
Here is their strongest XI:
- Shubman Gill
- Wriddhiman Saha (WK)
- Kane Williamson
- Hardik Pandya (C)
- David Miller
- Rahul Tewatia
- Rashid Khan
- Mohammed Shami
- Alzarri Joseph
- Yash Dayal
- R Sai Kishore
X-Factor
Gujarat Titans made a big-money signing in IPL 2022 mega-auction, acquiring the services of all-rounder Rahul Tewatia for a whopping 9 crore. Tewatia’s impressive lower-order hitting proved to be a game-changer for Gujarat’s campaign last year, as he smashed 2 sixes off Odean Smith in a nail-biting finish where 12 runs were needed off the last 2 balls.
Tewatia’s temperament and entertaining style of play have been the highlights of his IPL career so far. Gujarat Titans will be relying on him to once again prove himself as their X-factor in IPL 2023.
Strengths
The biggest strength of a team is their team spirit, and the way all the players contribute towards the team’s victory. They have shown that a team without many big names can come together with small but useful contributions from all to lead their team to dominate wins. The opening pair of Shubman Gill and Kane Williamson would be the most reliable in the IPL, and the middle-order has explosive power-hitters like Hardik Pandya, David Miller, and Rahul Tewatia. In Rashid Khan, they have a world-class spinner and an effective lower-order batter.
Weaknesses
Though the team lack star power, Pandya and Miller played an immense role in the team’s exceptional performance in the last edition. However, they appear to have lost their spark with the bat this year, and Rashid Khan, widely regarded as the best bowler in the shorter format, appears to have lost his speciality as he faced batsmen from all over the world. The GT keepers are also in no way convincing with the bat, and that is a concern for the Titans.
Form
Gujarat Titans’ form in the last season was exceptional, as they won the title in their debut season. However, they need to regain their form this season, and players like Pandya and Miller need to step up with the bat.
Chances of Winning
Gujarat Titans have a good chance of winning IPL 2023, given their all-around strength and the way they performed in the last edition. If their star players like Pandya, Miller, and Rashid Khan regain their form, they could be a force to reckon with in this year’s IPL.
Schedule
Gujarat Titans’ schedule for the first five matches of IPL 2023 is as follows:
| Match | Date | Time | Teams | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | March 31, 2023 | 07:30 PM IST | Gujarat Titans vs Chennai Super Kings | Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad |
| 2 | April 4, 2023 | 07:30 PM IST | Delhi Capitals vs Gujarat Titans | Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi |
| 3 | April 9, 2023 | 03:30 PM IST | Gujarat Titans vs Kolkata Knight Riders | Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad |
| 4 | April 13, 2023 | 07:30 PM IST | Punjab Kings vs Gujarat Titans | Punjab Cricket Association IS Bindra Stadium, Mohali |
| 5 | April 17, 2023 | 07:30 PM IST | Gujarat Titans vs Mumbai Indians | Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad |
| 6 | April 22, 2023 | 03:30 PM IST | Lucknow Super Giants vs Gujarat Titans | Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow |
| 7 | April 25, 2023 | 07:30 PM IST | Gujarat Titans vs Mumbai Indians | Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad |
| 8 | April 29, 2023 | 03:30 PM IST | Kolkata Knight Riders vs Gujarat Titans | Eden Gardens, Kolkata |
| 9 | May 2, 2023 | 07:30 PM IST | Gujarat Titans vs Delhi Capitals | Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad |
| 10 | May 5, 2023 | 07:30 PM IST | Rajasthan Royals vs Gujarat Titans | Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur |
| 11 | May 7, 2023 | 03:30 PM IST | Gujarat Titans vs Lucknow Super Giants | Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad |
| 12 | May 12, 2023 | 07:30 PM IST | Mumbai Indians vs Gujarat Titans | Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai |
| 13 | May 15, 2023 | 07:30 PM IST | Gujarat Titans vs Sunrisers Hyderabad | Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad |
| 14 | May 21, 2023 | 07:30 PM IST | Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Gujarat Titans | M.Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru |
Gujarat Titans have a well-rounded team with a good mix of experienced and young players. They have the potential to defend their title in IPL 2023, provided their star players perform to their potential. Their biggest strength is their team spirit and the way they play together as a team. However, their weakness is their lack of star power and inconsistent performances from some of their key players. It will be interesting to see how they perform in the upcoming season and if they can retain their title.
Read more:
- IPL 2023 – Chennai Super Kings Preview: Full Squad, Strength, Weakness, Schedule and more
- IPL 2023 – Delhi Capitals Preview: Full Squad, Strength, Weakness, Schedule and more
- IPL 2023 – Kolkata Knight Riders Preview: Full Squad, Strength, Weakness, Schedule and more
- IPL 2023 – Lucknow Super Giants Preview: Full Squad, Strength, Weakness, Schedule and more
- IPL 2023 – Mumbai Indians Preview: Full Squad, Strength, Weakness, Schedule and more
- IPL 2023 – Punjab Kings Preview: Full Squad, Strength, Weakness, Schedule and more
- IPL 2023 – Rajasthan Royals Preview: Full Squad, Strength, Weakness, Schedule and more
- IPL 2023 – Royal Challengers Bangalore Preview: Full Squad, Strength, Weakness, Schedule and more
- IPL 2023 – Sunrisers Hyderabad Preview: Full Squad, Strength, Weakness, Schedule and more
