Defending IPL champions Gujarat Titans’ head coach Ashish Nehra gives a glimpse of their auction strategy and said that the side will look to rope in a fast bowler in the IPL 2023 players auction to be held on December 23 in Kochi.
Gujarat Titans IPL 2023 Auction Strategy
Hardik Pandya led Gujarat Titans won their maiden IPL title in the first season by beating Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2022 final.
As everyone knows, Gujarat Titans have not released any of their core players instead they released Afghanistan’s Rahmanullah Gurbaz and New Zealand pacer Lockie Ferguson and announced their updated retained players list.
“Even if you win, still you make a few changes as per needs. We might need a fast bowler. In a small auction you make changes as per requirements. We are no different,” Nehra told reporters.
“We don’t have too many requirements as we haven’t released that many players. The domestic spot is also two or three left. It’s not that you will (always) get the player you want. There are nine more teams. So when that player comes into auction, that is also important,” he said.
“Every year you want to win as a team. Nobody is here to participate but to win. There will be one winner but the margin between win and loss is very little,” Nehra said.
In IPL 2022 Rahmanullah Gurbaz hasn’t played a single match while Lockie played 13 matches and bagged 12 wickets at an economy of 8.96.
“Gurbaz is a good player and he had gone to a different franchise. There are lot of players who are international T20 captains, but don’t get picked in IPL,” Nehra said.
“We have played only one match final. If one lakh people support you, then it helps.”
Gujarat Titans released Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Lockie Ferguson, Dominic Drakes, Gurkeerat Singh, Jason Roy, Varun Aaron ahead of the auction.
