The response ahead of the 2026 season was sweeping from the Gujarat Titans. They built an entirely new core, secured absolute blockbusters in the auction by pairing Shubman Gill with Jos Buttler, brought in local spin-bowling firepower like Washington Sundar, and revamped their pace attack completely to stage a genuine hunt for the trophy.

It wasn’t enough. Gujarat Titans fought their way through a tough campaign, surged past the playoffs with a legendary performance from their captain, but faltered at the absolute final hurdle, losing a one-sided final to Royal Challengers Bengaluru at home. The ultimate prize slipped right through their fingers in front of a packed Ahmedabad crowd.

That is the story of the Gujarat Titans in 2026 in miniature. A magnificent squad overhaul that had real footballing logic behind it, an absolute masterclass at the top of the order with Gill hammering 732 runs, and a campaign that collapsed under the sheer pressure of a middle-order blackout when it mattered most. Almost every phase of the business end was disrupted by their engine room failing to click, forcing the top three to carry an unfair burden just to keep them afloat. Glenn Phillips could not buy a run in the middle order. The heavy-hitting domestic investments looked completely out of depth against elite pace.

[sportzclaus_poll player=”Rashid Khan” team=”GT” poll_id=”rashid_gt_2026″]

GT were forced to rely heavily on individual rescue acts, something that rarely allows teams to secure trophies against clinical, deep units like RCB. Which makes the decisions ahead of IPL 2027 feel heavier than a simple squad refresh. This is a franchise at a genuine fork in the road: commit to the same top-heavy structure, cut loose the expensive middle-order liabilities that left them exposed, and answer the looming squad balance questions that cost them a title on home soil.

Here’s a detailed breakdown of who’s likely to go, who’s staying, and what GT’s auction strategy could look like ahead of IPL 2027.

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Gujarat Titans (GT) IPL 2026 Campaign Overview

The season began in rocky fashion. Gujarat dropped their first two matches against the Punjab Kings and Rajasthan Royals. Those early defeats established a pattern of vulnerability in the power play that the squad took time to fix. What followed was a campaign defined by a massive surge: a trio of wins to steady the ship, a minor blip, and then a sensational run where they won six of their final seven league matches as Gill and Sai Sudharsan tore through bowling attacks.

Shubman Gill scored the most runs with 732, while Jason Holder took the most wickets with 17 for Gujarat in 2026. Gill’s 732 included a legendary, unbeaten century in Qualifier 2 against Rajasthan Royals; he was consistently GT’s most dangerous weapon and proof that his leadership can handle immense pressure. Holder’s 17 wickets from just 11 matches were the product of using height and bounce to dismantle teams in the middle overs, executing his role with clinical discipline.

Jos Buttler provided some support along with the high-flying Sai Sudarshan, but the domestic middle order simply failed to show up. Rahul Tewatia managed minimal impact returns, and the absence of defining, match-winning innings from the lower-middle slots hurt the team whenever the top order failed.

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The bowling combination functioned beautifully until the final. Mohammed Siraj and Kagiso Rabada formed a lethal new-ball partnership, picking up crucial powerplay breakthroughs. Rashid Khan picked up 15 wickets with his usual accuracy. However, the lack of runs from the batters in the final left the bowlers with an impossible task, defending a meagre 155 against a rampant RCB batting unit.

StatisticIPL 2026 Numbers
Matches Played (League)14
Wins / Losses (League)9 / 5
League Points18
League Stage Finish2nd
Playoff ResultsRunners-Up (Lost Final to RCB)
Final Position2nd
Most RunsShubman Gill (732)
Most WicketsJason Holder (17)

GT won crucial games against CSK and SRH by huge margins to claim the second spot on the table, before getting hammered by 92 runs against RCB in Dharamshala during Qualifier 1. They bounced back by chasing down 214 against Rajasthan in Qualifier 2, but losing the final by 5 wickets showed exactly where this squad is: enough world-class talent to blow teams away, not enough lower-order steel to survive when the elite teams squeeze them.

High-Profile Players GT Are Likely to Release

GT’s purse situation heading into IPL 2027 demands cold, calculated choices. Several big-money acquisitions produced completely flat campaigns. Freeing up cap space is the absolute prerequisite for solving the finishing problems that cost them the 2026 title.

Shahrukh Khan: ₹9 Crore

Shahrukh Khan’s role at GT was supposed to be simple: raw power at number six or seven, someone who can clear fields instantly. Instead, his returns were completely blank, failing to provide any momentum to the back end of the innings.

Should they retain or release?

At ₹9 crore, GT are paying premium specialist rates for a player who cannot find a place in the starting eleven consistently. A release is a no-brainer. Carrying that massive contract into another season when the middle order needs a complete elite revamp is impossible to justify.

Glenn Phillips: ₹2 Crore

Phillips arrived with a major international reputation for destructive middle-order play. He struggled massively to adapt to the slow tracks, looking completely stuck against quality spin. At ₹2 crore, the money is low, but the overseas slot he clogs up is incredibly valuable.

[sportzclaus_poll player=”Glenn Phillips” team=”GT” poll_id=”rashid_gt_2026″]

Should they retain or release?

GT need overseas batters who can play spin with authority. Phillips didn’t show that. A release frees up a crucial international slot for a high-quality spin-hitter.

Jason Holder: ₹2 Crore

Holder had a phenomenal statistical season with 17 wickets. His height worked wonders on sticky wickets. However, his batting utility has completely vanished, and at his age, he remains a slow mover in a tournament that is getting younger and faster.

Should they retain or release?

Release. While his bowling numbers were great, GT need a dynamic bowling all-rounder who can clear boundaries at number eight. Holder’s limitations with the bat make him a luxury they need to swap for a more explosive package.

Ishant Sharma, Jayant Yadav, Anuj Rawat, Kumar Kushagra & Others: ₹30 Lakh – ₹5.5 Crore

This is standard squad cleaning. Ishant Sharma provided veteran cover but lacks the athletic future GT needs. Anuj Rawat and Kumar Kushagra failed to lock down the backup keeper slots with any authority. Clearing these domestic names opens up vital small change that adds up to a massive war chest for the 2027 auction.

Gujarat Titans (GT) Retained Players List

The core is incredibly solid. Shubman Gill is the face of the franchise. Sai Sudharsan is a top-tier Indian batting anchor. Rashid Khan remains the premier spinner in world cricket. Mohammed Siraj and Kagiso Rabada give them a world-class pace baseline. Washington Sundar, who scored a fighting 50 in the final, showed he has the character for big games.

  • Shubman Gill (C)
  • Sai Sudharsan
  • Jos Buttler
  • Rashid Khan
  • Mohammed Siraj
  • Kagiso Rabada
  • Washington Sundar
  • Sai Kishore
  • Rahul Tewatia
  • Nishant Sindhu
  • Manav Suthar
  • Prasidh Krishna

The Middle-Order Conundrum

One major issue needs solving, and it’s the only reason GT aren’t champions today. The middle order dropped the ball completely in 2026. Whenever Gill, Sudharsan, or Buttler missed out, the innings completely stalled. In the final, they collapsed from a position of strength to a thoroughly sub-par 155 because nobody in the positions four through seven could find boundaries. GT cannot enter another cycle hoping their top three scores all the runs. They must build a modern, fearless middle order at the next auction.

GT Probable Retained & Released Players

Player NameRolePrice (INR)Expected Status
Shubman Gill (C)Batsman₹18.00 CroreRetained
Jos ButtlerWK-Batsman₹14.00 CroreRetained
Rashid KhanBowler₹15.00 CroreRetained
Sai SudharsanBatsman₹10.00 CroreRetained
Mohammed SirajBowler₹12.00 CroreRetained
Kagiso RabadaBowler₹10.00 CroreRetained
Washington SundarAll-rounder₹6.50 CroreRetained
Sai KishoreBowler₹3.00 CroreRetained
Rahul TewatiaAll-rounder₹5.00 CroreRetained
Nishant SindhuAll-rounder₹50 LakhRetained
Prasidh KrishnaBowler₹9.50 CroreRetained
Manav SutharBowler₹30 LakhRetained
Shahrukh KhanBatsman₹9.00 CroreReleased
Glenn PhillipsBatsman₹2.00 CroreReleased
Jason HolderAll-rounder₹2.00 CroreReleased
Ishant SharmaBowler₹1.50 CroreReleased
Kumar KushagraWK-Batsman₹4.00 CroreReleased
Anuj RawatWK-Batsman₹30 LakhReleased
Luke WoodBowler₹75 LakhReleased
Tom BantonBatsman₹2.00 CroreReleased
Arshad KhanAll-rounder₹1.30 CroreReleased
Jayant YadavBowler₹75 LakhReleased
Gurnoor BrarBowler₹1.30 CroreReleased
Ashok SharmaBowler₹90 LakhReleased
Prithvi Raj YarraBowler₹30 LakhReleased
Connor EsterhuizenWK-Batsman₹20 LakhReleased

Purse Value and Auction Strategy for IPL 2027

Cut loose the underperforming contracts, and GT walk into the auction room with a healthy, flexible purse. The blueprint is staring them in the face. They do not need to look for opening options or frontline wicket-takers. The main priority must be finding a premier, hard-hitting Indian or overseas number five who treats spin with absolute disdain.

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They need context-heavy buyers. Someone who can walk into a situation at 110/3 in the twelfth over and keep the foot on the pedal. Fix that single glaring hole, and the Gujarat Titans are instantly ready to claim the trophy they missed by a whisker. Get it wrong, and they will spend another year wasting the prime scoring years of Shubman Gill.

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