IPL 2022: From fragile batting unit to lack of quality pacers; Focus on Hardik as Gujarat Titans look to iron out chinks

Skipper Hardik Pandya was tight-lipped on his return to bowling but the experience of leading an IPL franchise can saddle him with responsibilities with the ball. The 28-year-old cricketer from Baroda has been battling fitness issues since his back injury.

The franchise may be playing its debut season in the Indian Premier League (IPL), which was preceded by a hunky-dory auction, but Gujarat Titans cannot be ruled out as contenders for this year's season. The Titans, who are making their IPL debut along with Lucknow Super Giants, have a solid core to embark on quest for a trophy in their maiden appearance. The team had picked Hardik Pandya, Rashid Khan, and Shubman Gill as their three draft picks, and the Titans think-tank went on to pick the likes of Mohammed Shami, Lockie Ferguson, Matthew Wade, David Miller, and Wriddhiman Saha in the mega auction last month.

Shubman Gill (L), Hardik Pandya (centre) and Rashid Khan (Twitter | IPLt20,com)

It would be a crime if Hardik doesn't get a look-in when talking about the Titans nucleus. Labelled as a work in progress, the India all-rounder has had his fair share of struggles for the past couple of years. There was a lot of chatter and excitement when Hardik was named the skipper of Gujarat Titans after being released by Mumbai Indians. The 28-year-old cricketer from Baroda has been battling fitness issues and him passing the 'Yo-Yo' Test comfortably puts a smile on his fans' faces.

Playing as a pure batter might not be an issue for Hardik but the flamboyant player can't be stencilled as a single-trick pony, given the fact that his bowling is crucial to the Indian team's fortunes in white-ball cricket. Hardik was tight-lipped on his return to bowling but the experience of leading an IPL franchise can saddle him with responsibilities with the ball.

Hardik's last captaincy stint was with India A when he led the side in a first-class game against Australia and the result was drawn. He will be keen to lead the Titans from the front and his team would also hope for performances from their big overseas recruits David Miller and Dominic Drakes. Miller is a proven performer in the T20 format -- both as a batter and as a captain -- and Drakes is just 24 T20 games old but has shown glimpses of his potential in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL). The 24-year-old is someone who adds depth to the already wide pool of the Titans' all-rounders.

The newbies have also roped in Rahmanullah Gurbaz to serve as a replacement for the England batter Jason Roy, who had earlier pulled out of the tournament. It seemed like the auction strategy of the franchise wasn't clear at the auctions. They did make some panic buys towards the end with the wicketkeeper duo of Wriddhiman Saha and Matthew Wade joining the unit for ₹1.9 crore and ₹2.40 crore respectively. Miller also was a player who was initially ignored on the first day of the event before the Titans picked him up for ₹3 crore.

With Rashid Khan in the bowling mix and Mohammed Shami spearheading the pace attack, the Titans have their core in place. They would also expect Ferguson, Varun Aaron and Alzarri Joseph to put in the hard yards.

As the Titans start their IPL campaign against Lucknow Super Giants on March 28th at the Wankhede stadium, here is the SWOT analysis of the team:

Strengths: Reliable spin attack

While the team has got a reliable fast bowling pick in Shami, its spin unit comprises arguably the best T20 spinner Rashid Khan. One of the most successful bowlers in the lucrative league, the Afghanistan star was the third-highest wicket-taker last season. He was a vital cog in Sunrisers' wheel with an impressive economy of 6.33. Rashid is also seven plucks short of 100 IPL wickets and he is someone who can leave his mark regardless of the conditions. He can dictate the middle overs with his pace and variations, and the Titans have also got an able spinner in Jayant Yadav.

Currently a part of the Indian Test team, Jayant isn't bracketed in the list of wicket-taking spinners but has got an economy of 6.86, which could prove handy in Indian conditions. Another Afghanistan cricketer Noor Ahmed is also a part of the spin force and R Sai Kishore, who has delivered impressive performances for Tamil Nadu in the domestic circuit, will also look to leave his mark.

Weakness: Lack of specialist batters

The Titans only have Shubman Gill as a specialist batter up the order and Jason Roy's exit is set to make matters worse. Gill has got enormous responsibility on his shoulders but the youngster remains one of the most promising openers in the league. With the experience of 58 IPL games, Gill has earned the reputation of a powerplay specialist with 543 out of his 1417 runs coming in the first six overs since IPL 2020. The India opener flaunts a healthy average of over 30 and can consolidate the top-order.

The 22-year-old Gill receive support from Matthew Wade or Wriddhiman Saha, who might be pushed up the order if the team management doesn't want its fragile batting order to have an effect on the middle order. David Miller is one of the most experienced batters in the middle order but he hasn't done well in the previous season. The South African failed to get going last year as he notched up just 124 in nine games at 24.80.

Opportunity: No burden to weigh down players

The Ahmedabad-based franchise will be making its IPL debut and the relative unfamiliarity of its tactics could work in its favour. The team will have former India pacer Ashish Nehra as the head coach as it will be interesting to see how the players thrive under him. Also, bright prospects like Darshan Nalkande, who previously was a part of Punjab but couldn't get a single game, would eye a breakthrough season.

The burden of the reputation catches up with you and with no baggage of past performances, the Titans would back themselves to punch above their weight. Yash Dayal, Sai Kishore, Abhinav Sadarangani, Alzarri Joseph and Noor Ahmad will also look to get themselves noticed at the big stage.

Threats: Problem of plenty

The Titans arguably have one of the most balanced pools of all-rounders. Hardik's bowling element remains a surprise but he can also elevate his performance as a specialist batter. "Success is theirs, failure is mine," he said on his new avatar as an IPL captain. Apart from Hardik, the franchise has got Indian picks Vijay Shankar and Rahul Tewatia, who have got the experience of playing in the razzmatazz of the league. While Shankar would look for a change in fortunes, Tewatia has got to shed the tag of one-match wonder. He was picked up for a whopping sum of ₹9 crore and Tewatia is expected to bear the burden with both bat and ball.

Threats: Fragile pace force

Over the years, Mohammed Shami has developed as one of the most consistent pacers for India and his IPL teams. He has got the ability to bowl in the death and with 79 IPL scalps, Shami remains one of the key elements in the Titans' quest for an IPL title. The 31-year-old Shami will join forces with Lockie Ferguson, who was one of Kolkata Knight Riders' top performers in the 2021 season. But apart from Shami and Ferguson, Gujarat have a fragile pace unit with Yash Dayal and Darshan Nalkande not having much experience to their name.

Gujarat Titans (GT) squad: Hardik Pandya (C), Rashid Khan, Shubman Gill, Lockie Ferguson, Rahul Tewatia, Mohammad Shami, Yash Dayal, David Miller, Sai Kishore, Abhinav Sadarangani, Matthew Wade, Alzarri Joseph, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Wriddhiman Saha, Jayant Yadav, Vijay Shankar, Dominic Drakes, Varun Aaron, Gurkeerat Singh, Noor Ahmad, Darshan Nalkande, Pradeep Sangwan.