Gujarat Titans

Although a team from Gujarat has featured in the Indian Premier League before, this version of it has already proved to be the real deal.

Gujarat Titans were a treat to watch in IPL 2022. They lifted the IPL trophy in their first-ever IPL season, something many thought impossible to do. And this season, they’re back for more.

In many ways, the team in 2022 was a reflection of the character of its captain Hardik Pandya.

They looked to take individual responsibility, aimed to play attacking cricket, and enjoyed, rather than feared, the big moments in the big games.

They built a team around Hardik, opener Shubman Gill, and perennial match-winner Rashid Khan, who were their three pre-auction picks.

That said, there were meaningful contributions from all their players at one stage or another.

Above all, the secret to their success was their bowling line-up which was by far the strongest in the competition.

Can they do it all over again? The latest IPL betting odds certainly suggest they can.

Gujarat Titans Key Facts

GT Betting Odds To Win IPL 2023

Gujarat Titans’ odds to win IPL 2023: 4.00 with Betway

Betway are showing plenty of respect with the Gujarat Titans odds to win IPL 2023 currently at just 4.00.

That makes them the joint favorites alongside Rajasthan Royals and Lucknow Super Giants to win this year’s edition.

It’s perhaps not that surprising that the bookies fear them. Not only were they the stand-out team in last year’s edition, eventually winning it and topping the Group Stages before that; but they’re also mostly unchanged.

Rather than mixing it up, they’ve kept the core of the team so we can expect, with one notable exception (see below) to see a very similar XI to what they had last year.

Crucially, they’ve kept most of the same bowlers who were the cornerstone of their success with only the super-quick Lockie Ferguson moving on. But the rest are all there and will always keep them in the game.

The one concern about their odds is that they won a lot of extremely tight matches last year. That’s obviously to be applauded that they held their nerve under pressure.

But if a few of those close games go against them this time around, they may not be quite as successful. And other sides have better batting line-ups than theirs.

GT Match BETTING SITES

Gujarat Titans Squad For IPL 2023

Hardik Pandya(c), Wriddhiman Saha, Matthew Wade, KS Bharat, Urvil Patel. Abhinav Manohar, David Miller (SA), Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill, Kane Williamson (NZ), Pandya, Rashid Khan, Vijay Shankar, Rahul Tewatia, Odean Smith, Alzarri Joseph, Mohammed Shami, Darshan Nalkande, Noor Ahmad, R. Sai Kishore, Pradeep Sangwan, Yash Dayal, Jayant Yadav, Mohit Sharma, Joshua Little, Shivam Mavi.

GT At IPL Auction 2023: Notable Players out

New Zealand speedster Lockie Ferguson is perhaps the most notable name to have left. He was an important part of the title-winning team last year, playing 13 out of 16 games and taking 12 wickets.  He was traded to KKR to release funds to buy new Gujarat Titans players 2023.

Rahmanullah Gurbaz of Afghanistan was also traded to KKR, while Jason Roy and Dominic Drakes were released; none of those three played a single game for the Titans last season.

Former India fast bowler Varun Aaron, who played just twice, was also released.

Notable Gujrat Titans Players in

Kane Williamson’s purchase for 2 Crore raised a few eyebrows. He’s had a tough time of it in the IPL over the last few years at the Sunrisers Hyderabad.

Not only was the team he captained unsuccessful under his leadership but he was often criticized for scoring too slowly and not taking enough risks.

But Titans Head Coach Ashish Nehra has confirmed he’ll bat at number 3 and not being captain may improve his fortunes as a batter. He’ll play at the expense of Matthew Wade, who’s still there.

KS Bharat (1.2 Crore) has recently broken into the India Test team as wicket-keeper in the place of the injured Rishab Pant, but he may miss out to W Saha as the Titans keeper.

Odean Smith, the big-hitting West Indian all-rounder (50 Lakh) has also arrived but may find opportunities limited with other overseas players preferred.

But Joshua Little (4.4 Crore), the first Irishman to have an IPL contract and who has an excellent wicket-taking record in T20 cricket, may challenge Alzarri Joseph for the fourth overseas spot as a strike bowler.

GT Betting Tips For IPL 2023

Gujarat Titans Top Batsman Tip: Shubman Gill

It was quite remarkable that last year Gujarat’s Top 3 highest-scoring batsmen had an almost identical record for runs scored.

David Miller got 481, Gill 483 and they were both pipped by their skipper Hardik Pandya, who got 487.

But it’s always a big advantage to be an opener in T20 cricket and that could well be the difference this time round with Gill the only one of the three who opens.

For good measure, he’s been in outstanding form for India in T20 and ODI cricket for the past few months.

Gujarat Titans Top Bowler Tip: Mohammad Shami

It was also a close contest for Gujarat’s Top Bowler last time round with Mohammad Shami taking 20 wickets in 16 matches, to Rashid Khan’s 19.

And it could be a similar story this year. Shami generally bowls at the death when batters take more risks and has a superb strike rate over the years in the IPL.

Khan is obviously a force to be reckoned with but many batsmen these days look to just rotate the strike against him out of respect, rather than go for boundaries. So that may count against Khan if they look to take fewer risks.

Gujarat Titans Key player: Hardik Pandya  

Gujarat Titans probably wouldn’t have won the IPL if they didn’t have Hardik on board. He top-scored for them with the bat (just), took eight wickets, four catches, was responsible for a couple of run-outs and just seemed to be everywhere.

But it was his captaincy as much as anything that was so important. His fielding placements were good, his bowling changes effective and he was in charge of everything both on and off the pitch.

They’ll need plenty more from him again this year.

GT Strengths and weaknesses Ahead Of ipl 2023

Strengths

• Bowling line-up is arguably the best in the tournament.
• Hardik Pandya is right up there with the best all-rounders in the IPL.
• Ability to win tight matches.

Weaknesses

• Kane Williamson’s slow scoring could cost them.
• Lower middle-order batting weaker than other teams.
• At times over-reliant on Hardik Pandya.

gt Probable XI ipl 2023

Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Shubman Gill, Kane Williamson, Hardik Pandya (c), David Miller, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Alzarri Joseph, Mohammed Shami, R. Sai Kishore, Yash Dayal.

Gujarat Titans IPL Predictions

Here’s our quickfire guide to how the Titans may perform in the 2023 IPL.

Where will Gujarat Titans finish in the IPL Points table?

They really should make the playoffs given these are most of the Gujarat Titans players from last year, that they will be full of confidence and have set gameplans that worked so well in 2022.

We think they’ll finish second or third in the table this time around.

Are they a good bet at 4.0 to win it?

Winning back-to-back IPL titles is almost unheard of so they’re seriously up against it in that regard.

They deserve huge credit for what they did last year but maybe that was their best chance at winning it. Teams didn’t know what to expect from a new franchise and they hit the ground running, which took many by surprise.

Their batting isn’t quite as good or as explosive as other sides and that may cost them.

If they win it again, good on them. But their odds look too short for a side that has only proved themselves over one season so far.