The Gujarat Titans (GT) and the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) have swamped their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 sides with pace bowling options. The two newest IPL sides have 10 pace bowling options, an abundance that has left them with a problem of being very top-heavy. While we’ll discuss LSG some day later, GT might not have done themselves a favour after their IPL 2025 campaign.
No doubt, GT overperformed last season. The top three of Shubman Gill, Sai Sudharsan and Jos Buttler didn’t put their foot wrong as they hammered 1947 of the team’s total of 2892 runs. This is almost 70 percent of the runs. Insane dependency. Thankfully for GT, all three had a phenomenal season. But they need to replicate their stupendous forms in order to give GT another shot at the IPL title. This is because the IPL 2022 champions haven’t bolstered their middle order and lower order with fireworks. On that note, let us discuss GT’s strongest IPL 2026 playing XI with an Impact Sub below.
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When Jos Buttler had to leave the business end of the IPL and GT signed Kusal Mendis as a backup, they struggled. The issue was there to be seen, as Buttler provided them with an amazing season. He hammered 538 runs at a SR of 163.03, better than Sudharsan’s 156.17 and Gill’s 155.87. Gill and Sudharsan proved to be the best opening duo, as they ended up in the top four highest run-getters, with Sudharsan scoring (the most) 759 runs at 54.21, while the skipper mustered 650 at 50. The top three remain unchanged.
However, the entire middle order will be changed a bit. Washington Sundar’s role will be elevated, as he should be the number four. GT have weirdly always underutilised him. But they cannot. Sundar is an exceptional talent and will be part of India’s T20 World Cup 2026 squad. Last year, he batted just five times and will be in for a bigger role at IPL 2026. At five, there should be Glenn Phillips, who can be the wrecker-in-chief for GT. In 2025, Phillips averaged 46.88 and had a strike rate of almost 150 in T20s. GT don’t have any other overseas hitters as well after they let Sherfane Rutherford go to the Mumbai Indians.
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GT’s batting lineup will feature two new names in Kumar Kishagra and Jason Holder. One has been with the team, while the other was their costliest signing. Kushagra should start over the likes of Shahrukh Khan and Rahul Tewatia. He not only gives a keeping option but will enter IPL 2026 on the back of terrific form. He was part of Jharkhand’s incredible Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy win under Ishan Kishan and led them in the absence of Kishan in the Vijay Hazare Trophy too.
In SMAT, Kushagra hammered 422 runs at an average and SR of 60.29 and 161.69, respectively. Meanwhile, his last two VHT scores were 105 and 145, taking his tally to 332 at 110.67. Insane stats these with Kushagra lining up as a superb prospect. For number seven, three players would be an one spot. Shahrukh Khan, Rahul Tewatia and Nishant Sindhu all can offer variety. GT have tried Shahrukh and Tewatia but both went cold last year.
In fact, Shahrukh has been dropped from the Tamil Nadu side as well owing to poor form; Tewatia has not played a single competitive game since IPL 2026, where he averaged 12.37 with the bat. Hence, Nishant Sindhu offers great option. He was signed by the franchise last season but failed to get any game time. He regularly features for India A as well, and had a great SMAT for Haryana, making 303 runs at a SR of 166.48. Part of the 2022 Under-19 World Cup winning team, the former CSK player is a handy left-arm spinner too.
As for Holder, he should be ideally taking the new ball alongside Mohammed Siraj. However, his inclusion also means no space for Kagiso Rabada, as only four overseas players are allowed in the IPL. The former West Indies captain can be a handy batter but his bowling form has been great. In the recently concluded ILT20, Holder picked up 15 wickets at a frugal economy of 6.74, oftem giving ADKR superb starts.
Strongest Gujarat Titans Playing XII for IPL 2026
S. No.PlayerBackup Player1Shubman Gill2Sai Sudharsan3Jos Buttler (wk)Tom Banton (wk)4Washington Sundar5Glenn Phillips6Kumar Kushagra (wk)Anuj Rawat (wk)7Nishant Sindhu/Shahrukh KhanNishant Sindhu/Shahrukh Khan/Rahul Tewatia8Jason HolderArshad Khan9Rashid Khan10Sai KishoreManav Suthar11Mohammed SirajKagiso Rabada /Ashok Sharma/Gurnoor Singh Brar/Luke Wood 12 (Impact Sub)Prasidh KrishnaIshant Sharma/Prithvi Raj Yarra Cricket 9 mins Rating Mumbai Indians squad for IPL 2026: Are MI favourites under Hardik Pandya?Trusted GT bowling lineup continues
Gujarat’s trusted bowling lineup would continue. Rashid Khan, Sai Kishore, Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna all know Gujarat’s environment and are all bankable bowlers. Siraj would aim to make his white-ball comeback. Rashid is a bona fide match-winner and is the leading wicket-taker for GT. Meanwhile, Sai Kishore is a skilful spinner who even outshone Rashid last season with 19 wickets at a bowling SR of 13.4, the best for the side. In comparison, Rashid managed just nine wickets at 36.6.
Meanwhile, Prasidh Krishna delivered an all-timer at IPL 2025, bagging the Purple Cap with 25 wickets. His spells in the middle overs were far too good with the tall pacer using his variations to great effect. In this lineup, GT have three pacers sorted alongside five spin options in Rashid, Kishore, Sundar, Sindhu and Phillips. The lack of experience and firepower in the middle and lower order seems to be the only issue once again for the Titans.
Gujarat Titans full squad for IPL 2026
Anuj Rawat (wk), Glenn Phillips (wk), Gurnoor Brar, Ishant Sharma, Jayant Yadav, Jos Buttler (wk), Kagiso Rabada, Kumar Kushagra, Manav Suthar, Mohammed Siraj, Arshad Khan, Nishant Sindhu, Prasidh Krishna, R Sai Kishore, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Sai Sudharsan, M Shahrukh Khan, Shubman Gill (c), Washington Sundar, Ashok Sharma, Jason Holder, Tom Banton, Prithviraj Yarra, Luke Wood
Gujarat Titans’ strongest playing XII for IPL 2026: Can Shubman Gill counter middle-order issues? Inside Sport India.
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