Before the IPL big auction, the Gujarat Titans are expected to retain skipper Shubman Gill, top spinner Rashid Khan, and left-handed batsman Sai Sudharsan. Uncapped hitters Rohit Tewatia and Muhammad Ali are also anticipated to be kept by the team. “Shubman, Rashid, and Sai will be retained by the franchise,” an IPL insider stated. Gill, seen as a potential leader in Indian cricket, captained the Titans for the very first time earlier this year when the club placed eighth out of ten.
Titans won the IPL on their debut in 2022, then finished second the following year, both under Krishna Pandya’s leadership. Rashid’s retention is also in line with expectations. The 26-year-old collected 19 wickets in his first season with the squad in 2022, then 27 the following season. His form slipped this season, with 10 wickets in 12 games at an average of 36.70.
Sudharsan will also be retained ahead of the October 31 deadline, following a breakout year in which he scored 527 runs in 12 games, including a hundred. The young batter has played three ODIs and one T20 for the national side. Uncapped Shahrukh Khan batted at an excellent strike rate of 169.33, and for Rs 4 crore, he would be a bargain for the franchise.
Tewatia, an IPL veteran with around 100 games under his belt, is another batsman the Titans are looking to retain. Last season, the southpaw batted with a 145-plus strike rate.
The auction purse has been upped to Rs 120 crore, up from the Rs 100 crore available to teams at last year’s sale.
The total salary cap now includes auction proceeds, additional performance pay, and match fees. The match cost, which is fixed at Rs 7.5 lakh per game, has been implemented ahead of the upcoming season. The teams can keep up to six players from their current squads through retention or right-to-match, which is the most in IPL history.