GT SWOT Analysis: Gujarat Titans made their IPL debut last season and proved to be the most convincing side with their all-around excellence, emerging victorious in their very first edition. The Titans would have high hopes in this year’s IPL after winning the inaugural season, and coaches Kirsten and Nehra would be pinning high hopes on their moduled and strengthened squad led by skipper Pandya, who is the likely upcoming Indian T20I captain.
Strengths
The biggest strength of GT is their team spirit and the way all the players contribute towards the team’s victory. GT has shown the best way that a team without many big names can come together with small but useful contributions from all to lead their team to dominating wins.
Openers like Shubman Gill, who is in red-hot form alongside Kiwi skipper Williamson, would be the most reliable opening pair in the IPL. Gill can give a consolidating start to the inning, while Williamson can add stability, and both would combine to give GT the start they would desire.
Weaknesses
Though GT lacks star power, some veterans include skipper Pandya and Proteas batter David Miller. Both of these players played an immense role in the Titans’ exceptional performance in the last edition, each scoring 450+ runs and winning vital matches for the team.
Pandya and Miller, however, appear to have lost their spark with the willow this year. Even Rashid, widely regarded as the best bowler in the shorter format, appears to have lost his specialty as he faced batsmen from all over the world. The lack of runs for these batters would be of severe concern for the Titans.
Even Rashid, widely regarded as the greatest bowler in the shorter format, appears to have lost his speciality as he faced challenges from batsmen all over the world.
A team cannot be complete without a wicketkeeper, but the GT keepers are in no way convincing with the bat, and that is a concern for the Titans.
Opportunities
This is the second edition of the play for the Titans, and having registered a title win in their debut season, they would look to retain their title in this year’s IPL too. And with not many exclusions but rather many new inclusions on their side, the Titans would hope to be even more convincing in this year’s IPL.
Another once-in-a-lifetime opportunity would be for skipper Pandya. If the GT skipper can lead his side to a second successive title win in this year’s IPL, this would increase his chances further to be India’s next T20I captain, who would lead India in the 2024 ICC T20I World Cup.
Threats
GT faces the same issue of having too many quality bowlers, despite having a fiery attack in the playing 11. World-class T20 players like Alzarri Joseph and Odean Smith would find it difficult to feature in their playing 11, which already comprises great quicks like Indian veteran Shami, Irishman Josh Little, and young Indian seed Shivam Mavi.
The Titans would also have to face the immense pressure of being the champions in their very first edition, and under pressure, it would be difficult for many young players to keep their nerve in such conditions.
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