IPL Auction 2025: Four players Gujarat Titans are likely to target through RTM at Mega Auction

Gujarat Titans failed to qualify for the playoffs under the captaincy of Shubman Gill in the IPL 2024 season. The Ahmedabad-based franchise finished eighth on the table with 12 points (5 wins, 7 defeats).

The 2022 IPL champions retained five marquee players including Shubman Gill (INR 16.5 crore), Rashid Khan (INR 18 crore), B Sai Sudharsan (INR 8.5 crore), Rahul Tewatia (INR 4 crore) and Shahrukh Khan (INR 4 crore)

On the other side of the coin, South Africa's veteran batter David Miller and India's seasoned pacer Mohammed Shami are the two big players whom Gujarat Titans have not retained. The 2023 runners-up have INR 69 crore left in their purse leading into the auction. They have 1 RTM available, which they can use exclusively on a capped player and it remains to be seen which player they will be targeting at the auction.

Players released by Gujarat Titans

BR Sharath, Abhinav Manohar, Sandeep Warrier, Gurnoor Brar, Darshan Nalkande, David Miller*, Jayant Yadav, Joshua Little*, Kane Williamson*, Matthew Wade*, Mohammad Shami, Mohit Sharma, Noor Ahmad*, Sai Kishore, Vijay Shankar, Wriddhiman Saha, Azmatullah Omarzai*, Umesh Yadav, Sushant Mishra, Kartik Tyagi, Manav Suthar, Spencer Johnson*

Let's take a glimpse at the four players whom GT will look to target via RTM at the IPL 2025 Mega Auction.

1. David Miller: The South African has been instrumental in Gujarat Titans' success over the past few seasons, delivering impactful knocks when it mattered the most. The southpaw, who is known for his explosive finishing ability could be the trump card, GT will most likely be targeting via RTM. Since joining GT in their debut IPL season in 2022, he pitched in with scores of 481, 259, and 210 runs while also maintaining a high strike rate close to 150. Although his appearances were limited in IPL 2024, he ensured to score 210 runs in 9 games and maintain an impressive strike rate of 151.

2. Vijay Shankar: The Tamil Nadu-born cricketer has been a mixed bag for the franchise. His best season came in 2023 when he scored 301 runs, including three fifties, with a solid strike rate of 160. On the other hand, his contributions in other seasons were modest. He mustered 83 runs in 7 games in IPL 2024 whereas he scored 19 runs in 4 games in IPL 2022 season. Despite being a pace-bowling all-rounder, GT has surprisingly not made use of his bowling skills over the past two seasons. The cricket fraternity has seen him coming in as a Impact Sub. Overall, he has taken nine wickets in the IPL.

3. Mohit Sharma: It is no secret that Mohit Sharma has well and truly been one of GT’s most impactful bowlers in recent seasons. He is the reliable death overs specialist that the franchise might be targeting at the Mega Auction. As a result, he could be a strong candidate for the RTM card. After being several years away from the IPL due to form and injuries, he came back in full swing in IPL 2023 where he accounted for 27 dismissals in 14 games. His terrific death bowling nearly won GT the IPL 2023 final but a last-ball finish from Ravindra Jadeja denied him the crowning moment. In the last season, he took 13 wickets in 12 games.

4. Noor Ahmad: Another potential RTM target for Gujarat Titans is Noor Ahmad, the young Afghan spinner who has already caught the eye in the IPL. At just 19, Noor has displayed impressive maturity, taking 24 wickets in 23 games with a solid economy rate of 8.03. Known for his sharp left-arm wrist spin, he offers a level of unpredictability that can be highly effective on Indian pitches. His ability to control the game, contain runs, and take key wickets makes him a valuable asset. If Gujarat uses their RTM card to bring Noor back, they would not only secure a promising long-term option for their bowling attack but also provide him the opportunity to develop into a franchise player under the guidance of teammate Rashid Khan.