Gujarat Titans, the 2022 champions and 2023 runners-up, had a disappointing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 season, failing to make it to the playoffs. Despite their strong squad and high expectations, they struggled throughout the tournament, leaving fans and experts alike wondering what went wrong for Gujarat Titans in IPL 2024.
The journey of Gujrat Titans has come to an end in the IPL 2024. While looking at their journey throughout the season we see that the outcomes were not what they had in mind for the season. The Gujarat Titans had a spectacular run to the championship in 2022 and came very close to retaining it in 2023, but this season has been very disappointing for them and their fans.
They were eliminated before the final game, having won the group stages the previous two years. Gujrat Titans played a total of 14 matches, they won 5 of them, lost 7 of them, and 2 of them were called off due to heavy rain.
To understand what went wrong for Gujrat Titans in this season. Let’s have a look at the changes in their team since last season and try to analyze the impact those changes had on the team.
Change of captain:
After losing Hardik Pandya to Mumbai Indians, Shubam Gill was announced as the captain of the Gujrat Titans. Shubman Gill, who scored 890 runs in 17 matches and won the Orange Cap last year, has managed just 426 runs in 12 matches as captain. The 24-year-old struggled to be as authoritative with the bat as he was over the years in the IPL.
Under Shubam’s captaincy, the Franchise scored its lowest power-play score. So it was visible that Shubam was having difficulties as a captain. Shubman Gill suffered another setback during the IPL 2024 season. The young opener was not picked in India’s 15-man squad for the T20 World Cup, starting June 1. However, the GT captain will travel as one of the four reserves with the World Cup squad, led by Rohit Sharma.
Shubman Gill Form issues:
The standout opener for the Gujarat Titans, Shubman Gill, scored 890 runs and three hundreds during an incredible 2023 season. But this season, he struggled to find consistency in his play, scoring 255 runs in six games at a strike rate of 151.78 before going through a slump of 67 runs in five games at a strike rate of just over 100. Due to his inconsistent play, the team’s top order suffered as a result, and they ended up being the worst team in the power play (run rate 7.62).
The middle-order uncertainty:
In his first two seasons as a batter, Hardik reached new heights, frequently moving to the No. 4 spot to deflect pressure and provide David Miller, Rahul Tewatia, and Rashid Khan the opportunity to finish. In 2022, he scored 487 runs, and in 2023, 346. But GT found it difficult to strike the correct balance without him.
The middle order has been inconsistent, with David Miller and Rahul Tewatia struggling to force the pace. David Miller scored a total of 210 runs in 9 matches with an average of 35.00 and Rahul Tewatia scored 188 in 12 matches with an average of 26.86. The team suffered greatly from their inability to pick up speed in the middle overs and finish strongly.
Also Read: IPL 2024 Qualification Scenarios: Which Team will make it to the playoffs?
Mohammed Shami’s Absence:
Mohammed Shami, Gujarat Titans‘ ace pacer, was ruled out of the season due to an ankle injury. His absence was deeply felt, especially in the powerplay, where he had taken 17 wickets last season at an average of 19.41 and an economy rate of 7.5. The team struggled to find a suitable replacement, shuffling their bowling options with little success.
Rashid Khan’s Struggles:
Rashid Khan, the team’s star leg-spinner, had a poor season, picking up just 12 wickets in ten matches at an economy rate of 8.40. Rashid gave a total of 367 runs in this season with his best bowling of innings being 38/2 and his average was 36.70. His struggles were evident, with four instances of conceding ten or more runs in an over, a first for him in his IPL career. Rashid attributed his struggles to a back surgery he underwent before the season, affecting his execution and confidence.
Injuries and Squad Instability:
Injuries to key players didn’t help Gujarat Titans’ cause. The team used 27 players, the most by any team this season, leading to a lack of consistency and balance in their XI. The team made frequent changes to their playing XI, with players being dropped and recalled without a clear reason.
The instability in the squad affected team morale and cohesion, making it difficult for players to build partnerships and perform consistently. The lack of a settled squad also made it challenging for the team to develop a clear strategy and game plan, leading to inconsistent performances
Conclusion:
Gujarat Titans’ disappointing IPL 2024 season can be attributed to a combination of factors, including Shubman Gill’s form slump, Mohammed Shami’s absence, Rashid Khan’s struggles, middle-order woes, and injuries. Despite their strong squad, the team failed to click, leading to an early exit from the tournament. As they regroup and rebuild, they’ll need to address these issues to regain their winning momentum.
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