Gujarat Titans did not have the best of starts to the IPL 2022 mega auction as they managed to get just one marquee player but found their way towards the end by picking some valuable buys. The Ahmedabad-based franchise will have the likes of Gary Kirsten and <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/ipl-2022-ashish-nehra-all-set-to-take-charge-of-head-coach-for-ahmedabad-franchise/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ashish Nehra</a> in the coaching set up and they are expected to show up in a big fight against the successful teams with the money spent for their players.

Gujarat Titans opted to retain Shubman Gill (INR 7 crores), Hardik Pandya (INR 15 crores) and Rashid Khan (INR 15 crores) ahead of the mega auction and the core of the side looks really strong with the inclusion of pacers like Mohammed Shami and Lockie Ferguson. They came into the mega auction where the Titans entered with a purse amount of INR 52 crores. The side has included some domestic talent as well and it will be interesting to see how Pandya leads the side.

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-565296" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Shubman-Gill.jpg" alt="Shubman Gill" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-565296" class="wp-caption-text">Shubman Gill. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption>

<a href="https://www.crictracker.com/it-was-disappointing-to-lose-shubman-gill-kkr-head-coach-brendon-mccullum-ahead-of-ipl-2022/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shubman Gill</a> was retained by the Gujarat Titans ahead of the IPL 2022 mega auction and the youngster will definitely be the first-choice opener for the side. The right-hander was a consistent run-scorer for Kolkata Knight Riders in the previous editions and was expected to be retained until the franchise opted to go in with all-rounder Venkatesh Iyer.

The 22-year-old is also seen as the future of the Indian side and he has been immensely talked about ever since he came up through the ranks in the U19 World Cup. With 1417 runs in 58 IPL games, Gill can be a bank at the top order as he can play the dual role of being the dasher or the anchor.

Gill has all the shots in the book and likes to take advantage of the powerplay which will be key to success or the Gujarat side in IPL 2022. He had a poor start to the previous IPL season but made up for it with an excellent second phase in UAE to finish with 478 runs in 17 games at an average of 28.11.

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-573595" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Jason-Roy.jpg" alt="Jason Roy" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-573595" class="wp-caption-text">Jason Roy. (Photo by Gareth Copley-ICC/ICC via Getty Images)</figcaption>

<a href="https://www.crictracker.com/twitter-reactions-jason-roys-whirlwind-century-helps-quetta-gladiators-stand-tall-against-lahore-qalandars/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jason Roy</a> was a steal buy for the Gujarat Titans as he was bought for the base price of INR 2 crore and surprisingly, no team went after England&#8217;s dashing opener. The 31-year-old recently struck an excellent century in the Pakistan Super League 2022 and it helped his side Quetta Gladiators chase down a huge score above 200.

Roy can be the perfect partner to Gill at the top of the order as he likes to take on the bowlers from the start and he can certainly provide the explosion needed for a big score. The right-hander is very aggressive throughout the phases and does play a lot of powerful cricketing shots.

He has played just the 13 IPL games so far, he has scored 329 runs. Roy has been in and out of IPL teams for a long time now but will have a lot more chances to prove his potential in the cash-rich tournament this time as he can have a massive impact once he gets going.

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-578713" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Matthew-Wade.jpg" alt="Matthew Wade" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-578713" class="wp-caption-text">Matthew Wade. (Photo by Alex Davidson/Getty Images)</figcaption>

<a href="https://www.crictracker.com/bbl-2021-22-matthew-wade-takes-an-indefinite-break-from-the-ongoing-season/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Matthew Wade</a> last featured in IPL way back in 2011 for the Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals). As the wicketkeeper-batter had an impressive stint in the T20 World Cup 2021, he has earned a place in the Gujarat Titans squad for IPL 2022 season. The southpaw was picked up at the last moments of the mega auction for a price of INR 2.4 crore, with Punjab Kings showing interest in him.

Wade has immense experience playing for Australia and in the Big Bash League for a lot of years. He can play anywhere in the batting line-up, from opening the innings to being a finisher for the side. The veteran will be one of the players to watch out in the upcoming season as he has bagged an IPL contract after eleven years.

Wade can be really aggressive when he gets going and he can also pack a punch as he has a lot of shots including the scoops over the fine leg fielder against fast bowlers and the sweep shots to counter the spinners. He is expected to be a valuable addition to the side and will help out Hardik with his captaincy experience as well.

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-545427" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Vijay-Shankar.jpg" alt="Vijay Shankar" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-545427" class="wp-caption-text">Vijay Shankar. (Photo Source: TNPL)</figcaption>

Vijay Shankar was picked up by the Gujarat Titans for INR 1.4 crore after a battle with the <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/ipl-2022-best-starting-playing-xi-of-chennai-super-kings-csk-after-mega-auction/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Chennai Super Kings</a> in the auction and he can be a valuable addition with his ability to play in the middle order and roll his arm over if needed. He did not have the best of seasons with the Sunrisers Hyderabad despite getting an extended run.

It has to be noted, Shankar was part of the Indian playing XI in the 2019 World Cup but an injury had pushed him out of the mix. He does have a lot of quality in his batting but is yet to get those big innings under his belt to have a breakout season. The 31-year-old has played 47 IPL games for various franchises since the 2014 edition.

Shankar will have a big role to play in the Gujarat Titans side as he will have to play at four and should be able to adjust according to the situations. He definitely has the calibre to hit the long sixes with pure timing and this might be the opportunity to get back in the reckonings for the Indian team.

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-604366" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Abhinav-Sadarangani.jpg" alt="Abhinav-Sadarangani" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-604366" class="wp-caption-text">Abhinav-Sadarangani ( Source: Twitter)</figcaption>

Abhinav Sadarangani was one of the less-familiar names that went on to bag INR 2.6 crore in the mega auction and the likes of Delhi Capitals and <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/kkr-players-list-2022-complete-kolkata-knight-riders-squad-and-players-list-for-ipl-2022/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kolkata Knight Riders</a> did show interest in the 27-year-old. The Karnataka lad recently made his List A debut and T20 debut for his state in the domestic season and has shown immense potential already.

Franchises have been looking for players who can handle pressures and Sadharangani did impress in the 2021 Syed Mushtaq Ali tournament finals to top score with an excellent 46. In fact, his unbeaten 70 against Saurashtra included six sixes and turned the game on its head for the Karnataka side.

Sadarangani is set to play in the middle order for the Gujarat Titans and he is likely to get an extended run of opportunities as well considering the players on the bench. He will be keen to make the most out of his chances as a lot of franchises are yet to see him on the bigger stage.

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-459305" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Hardik-Pandya-against-RR.jpg" alt="Hardik Pandya-against RR" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-459305" class="wp-caption-text">Hardik Pandya-against RR. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption>

Indian all-rounder <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/hardik-pandya-to-miss-ranji-trophy-to-focus-on-white-ball-cricket/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hardik Pandya</a> is all set to captain the Gujarat Titans in the upcoming IPL 2022 season and this will be his first stint in the leadership role. The Baroda lad was retained by the franchise ahead of the mega auction after Mumbai Indians decided to let go of him.

Pandya can certainly come up the order if needed considering the game situation and he is more of a batter than a bowler. However, his two-three over spells are going to be very crucial in terms of the side having the right balance, and he has a lot of variations under his belt as well.

Pandya had a brilliant IPL 2019 season for the Mumbai Indians where he scored 402 runs in 15 innings at an average of 44.66 and an unbelievable strike rate of 191.42. He played a lot of impactful innings and got his team out of bail a lot of times in the title-winning campaign. It will be interesting to see Pandya&#8217;s leadership skills in this IPL considering India&#8217;s future as well.

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-456552" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Rahul-Tewatia-of-RR.jpg" alt="Rahul Tewatia" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-456552" class="wp-caption-text">Rahul Tewatia. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption>

Rahul Tewatia was picked up for a whopping INR 9 crore by the Gujarat Titans in the mega auction for IPL 2022 and they hand to land the all-rounder after some intense bidding against the <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/ipl-2022-best-starting-playing-xi-of-royal-challengers-bangalore-rcb-after-mega-auction/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Royal Challengers Bangalore</a> and Chennai Super Kings. The Haryana lad played for the Rajasthan Royals in the previous edition.

Tewatia has been looked at as a utility all-rounder as he can contribute with his leg-spin while smacking it around at the back end of the innings. He adds in a left-handed option in the middle order and his five sixes against Sheldon Cottrell in an over in IPL 2020 definitely took the world by a massive shock.

The 28-year old earned a maiden call up for the Indian side but could not make his debut after missing out on fitness issues. He is likely to have a slightly bigger responsibility for the Gujarat Titans with the amount of money spent on him and he has the ability to win games on his own as well.

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-505694" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Rashid-Khan-2.jpg" alt="Rashid Khan" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-505694" class="wp-caption-text">Rashid Khan. (Photo Source: Twitter)</figcaption>

<a href="https://www.crictracker.com/excited-to-play-alongside-hardik-pandya-and-rashid-khan-for-the-first-time-rahul-tewatia-interview/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Rashid Khan</a> is one of the world-class spinners going around in the limited-overs format and he is a match-winner with the ball. The Afghanistan leggie was retained by the Gujarat Titans ahead of the IPL 2022 mega auction and he is likely to have a big impact on the franchise.

The 23-year-old has some phenomenal numbers in the shortest format and has been plying his trade for various franchises all over the globe. He has picked up 93 wickets in 76 IPL games at a mind-blowing economy rate of 6.33 and likes to bowl the tough overs for the side as well.

Rashid is very quick through the air and hardly gives the batters time to free their arms over the years. He has one of the best googlies which is nicely disguised and has left a lot of batters in disarray. He has improved his batting in the last year or so and can certainly hit the long ones down the order giving an added advantage.

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-222744" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/R.-Sai-Kishore.jpg" alt="R. Sai Kishore" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-222744" class="wp-caption-text">R. Sai Kishore. (Photo Source: TNPL)</figcaption>

A lot of franchises showed interest in the Tamil Nadu spinner R Sai Kishore as he was bought for INR 3 crore after an intense bidding war between Rajasthan Royals, Delhi Capitals, Chennai Super Kings, Punjab Kings, Gujarat Titans and Sunrisers Hyderabad. The left-arm spinner has been doing really well in the domestic circuit for a long time now.

<a href="https://www.crictracker.com/reports-shahrukh-khan-r-sai-kishore-added-as-backups-for-west-indies-series/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sai Kishore</a> has an economy rate of 5.46 in 38 T20s so far and he is a wicket-taking option as well. He likes to bowl with the new ball and great control as well. It is a big surprise that the Chennai Super Kings benched him throughout the season last year and finally, he is all set to get opportunities for the Gujarat Titans.

He was called up for the Indian side last year during the Sri Lanka tour and was unlucky to have not made his international debut despite a lot of players suffering from Covid-19. He is expected to set the stage on fire this time and he will not get a better companion to learn from other than Rashid Khan in the side.

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-388475" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Mohammed-Shami-kxip.jpg" alt="Mohammed Shami" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-388475" class="wp-caption-text">Mohammed Shami. (Photo Source: Twitter)</figcaption>

Mohammad Shami was surprisingly not retained by the Punjab Kings ahead of IPL 2022 mega auction and he was picked up by the Gujarat Titans for INR 6.25 crore from the marquee set. Shami attracted bids from the likes of <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/ipl-2022-best-starting-xi-of-lucknow-super-giants-after-mega-auction/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lucknow Super Giants</a>, Kolkata Knight Riders and the Royal Challengers Bangalore and finally landed in the Hardik Pandya led side.

Shami has immense experience in IPL having played for various franchises and is among the top fast bowlers in the country alongside Jasprit Bumrah. The 31-year-old has played 77 IPL games and he fared well in the last three seasons for the Punjab Kings by leading from the front in the bowling setup.

The right-arm seamer can nail his yorkers in the death overs and seams the ball both ways in the powerplay, making him one of the toughest bowlers to face. He has got a lot of pace left in him still and will be a huge addition to the side if he can play all the games in this season.

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-346868" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Lockie-Ferguson-of-New-Zealand-world-cup-2019.jpg" alt="Lockie-Ferguson-of-New-Zealand-world-cup-2019" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-346868" class="wp-caption-text">Lockie Ferguson of New Zealand. (Photo Source: Twitter)</figcaption>

Lockie Ferguson was picked by the Gujarat Titans for a whopping INR 10 crore in the IPL 2022 mega auction after an intense bidding battle between <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/dc-players-list-2022-complete-delhi-caitals-dc-squad-players-list-for-ipl-2022/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Delhi Capitals</a>, Lucknow Super Giants and Royal Challengers Bangalore. The New Zealand pacer can be very lethal with his pace and he will form the perfect partner for the likes of Shami.

Ferguson is one of the quickest bowlers going around in the world at the moment and can easily clock it above 150 Kmph consistently. He had a fine season for the Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2021 and is a wicket-taking option at the death or in the powerplay.

Ferguson is yet to be tested on a full season as he has managed to play just the 22 IPL games so far since making his IPL debut in 2017 and he is coming from an injury which might be concerns going forward. However, he will definitely feature in the playing XI if he doesn&#8217;t have any fitness concerns.

Gujarat Titans did not have the best of starts to the IPL 2022 mega auction as they managed to get just one marquee player but found their way towards the end by picking some valuable buys. The Ahmedabad-based franchise will have the likes of Gary Kirsten and <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/ipl-2022-ashish-nehra-all-set-to-take-charge-of-head-coach-for-ahmedabad-franchise/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ashish Nehra</a> in the coaching set up and they are expected to show up in a big fight against the successful teams with the money spent for their players.
Gujarat Titans opted to retain Shubman Gill (INR 7 crores), Hardik Pandya (INR 15 crores) and Rashid Khan (INR 15 crores) ahead of the mega auction and the core of the side looks really strong with the inclusion of pacers like Mohammed Shami and Lockie Ferguson. They came into the mega auction where the Titans entered with a purse amount of INR 52 crores. The side has included some domestic talent as well and it will be interesting to see how Pandya leads the side.
<h3>Best Starting XI for Gujarat Titans:</h3>
<h3>1. Shubman Gill</h3>
<figure id="attachment_565296" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-565296" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-565296" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Shubman-Gill.jpg" alt="Shubman Gill" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-565296" class="wp-caption-text">Shubman Gill. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption></figure>
<a href="https://www.crictracker.com/it-was-disappointing-to-lose-shubman-gill-kkr-head-coach-brendon-mccullum-ahead-of-ipl-2022/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shubman Gill</a> was retained by the Gujarat Titans ahead of the IPL 2022 mega auction and the youngster will definitely be the first-choice opener for the side. The right-hander was a consistent run-scorer for Kolkata Knight Riders in the previous editions and was expected to be retained until the franchise opted to go in with all-rounder Venkatesh Iyer.
The 22-year-old is also seen as the future of the Indian side and he has been immensely talked about ever since he came up through the ranks in the U19 World Cup. With 1417 runs in 58 IPL games, Gill can be a bank at the top order as he can play the dual role of being the dasher or the anchor.
Gill has all the shots in the book and likes to take advantage of the powerplay which will be key to success or the Gujarat side in IPL 2022. He had a poor start to the previous IPL season but made up for it with an excellent second phase in UAE to finish with 478 runs in 17 games at an average of 28.11.

<h3>2. Jason Roy</h3>
<figure id="attachment_573595" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-573595" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-573595" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Jason-Roy.jpg" alt="Jason Roy" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-573595" class="wp-caption-text">Jason Roy. (Photo by Gareth Copley-ICC/ICC via Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>
<a href="https://www.crictracker.com/twitter-reactions-jason-roys-whirlwind-century-helps-quetta-gladiators-stand-tall-against-lahore-qalandars/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jason Roy</a> was a steal buy for the Gujarat Titans as he was bought for the base price of INR 2 crore and surprisingly, no team went after England&#8217;s dashing opener. The 31-year-old recently struck an excellent century in the Pakistan Super League 2022 and it helped his side Quetta Gladiators chase down a huge score above 200.
Roy can be the perfect partner to Gill at the top of the order as he likes to take on the bowlers from the start and he can certainly provide the explosion needed for a big score. The right-hander is very aggressive throughout the phases and does play a lot of powerful cricketing shots.
He has played just the 13 IPL games so far, he has scored 329 runs. Roy has been in and out of IPL teams for a long time now but will have a lot more chances to prove his potential in the cash-rich tournament this time as he can have a massive impact once he gets going.

<h3>3. Matthew Wade(wk)</h3>
<figure id="attachment_578713" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-578713" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-578713" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Matthew-Wade.jpg" alt="Matthew Wade" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-578713" class="wp-caption-text">Matthew Wade. (Photo by Alex Davidson/Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>
<a href="https://www.crictracker.com/bbl-2021-22-matthew-wade-takes-an-indefinite-break-from-the-ongoing-season/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Matthew Wade</a> last featured in IPL way back in 2011 for the Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals). As the wicketkeeper-batter had an impressive stint in the T20 World Cup 2021, he has earned a place in the Gujarat Titans squad for IPL 2022 season. The southpaw was picked up at the last moments of the mega auction for a price of INR 2.4 crore, with Punjab Kings showing interest in him.
Wade has immense experience playing for Australia and in the Big Bash League for a lot of years. He can play anywhere in the batting line-up, from opening the innings to being a finisher for the side. The veteran will be one of the players to watch out in the upcoming season as he has bagged an IPL contract after eleven years.
Wade can be really aggressive when he gets going and he can also pack a punch as he has a lot of shots including the scoops over the fine leg fielder against fast bowlers and the sweep shots to counter the spinners. He is expected to be a valuable addition to the side and will help out Hardik with his captaincy experience as well.

<h3>4. Vijay Shankar</h3>
<figure id="attachment_545427" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-545427" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-545427" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Vijay-Shankar.jpg" alt="Vijay Shankar" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-545427" class="wp-caption-text">Vijay Shankar. (Photo Source: TNPL)</figcaption></figure>
Vijay Shankar was picked up by the Gujarat Titans for INR 1.4 crore after a battle with the <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/ipl-2022-best-starting-playing-xi-of-chennai-super-kings-csk-after-mega-auction/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Chennai Super Kings</a> in the auction and he can be a valuable addition with his ability to play in the middle order and roll his arm over if needed. He did not have the best of seasons with the Sunrisers Hyderabad despite getting an extended run.
It has to be noted, Shankar was part of the Indian playing XI in the 2019 World Cup but an injury had pushed him out of the mix. He does have a lot of quality in his batting but is yet to get those big innings under his belt to have a breakout season. The 31-year-old has played 47 IPL games for various franchises since the 2014 edition.
Shankar will have a big role to play in the Gujarat Titans side as he will have to play at four and should be able to adjust according to the situations. He definitely has the calibre to hit the long sixes with pure timing and this might be the opportunity to get back in the reckonings for the Indian team.

<h3>5. Abhinav Sadarangani:</h3>
<figure id="attachment_604366" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-604366" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-604366" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Abhinav-Sadarangani.jpg" alt="Abhinav-Sadarangani" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-604366" class="wp-caption-text">Abhinav-Sadarangani ( Source: Twitter)</figcaption></figure>
Abhinav Sadarangani was one of the less-familiar names that went on to bag INR 2.6 crore in the mega auction and the likes of Delhi Capitals and <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/kkr-players-list-2022-complete-kolkata-knight-riders-squad-and-players-list-for-ipl-2022/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kolkata Knight Riders</a> did show interest in the 27-year-old. The Karnataka lad recently made his List A debut and T20 debut for his state in the domestic season and has shown immense potential already.
Franchises have been looking for players who can handle pressures and Sadharangani did impress in the 2021 Syed Mushtaq Ali tournament finals to top score with an excellent 46. In fact, his unbeaten 70 against Saurashtra included six sixes and turned the game on its head for the Karnataka side.
Sadarangani is set to play in the middle order for the Gujarat Titans and he is likely to get an extended run of opportunities as well considering the players on the bench. He will be keen to make the most out of his chances as a lot of franchises are yet to see him on the bigger stage.

<h3>6. Hardik Pandya(c)</h3>
<figure id="attachment_459305" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-459305" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-459305" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Hardik-Pandya-against-RR.jpg" alt="Hardik Pandya-against RR" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-459305" class="wp-caption-text">Hardik Pandya-against RR. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption></figure>
Indian all-rounder <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/hardik-pandya-to-miss-ranji-trophy-to-focus-on-white-ball-cricket/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hardik Pandya</a> is all set to captain the Gujarat Titans in the upcoming IPL 2022 season and this will be his first stint in the leadership role. The Baroda lad was retained by the franchise ahead of the mega auction after Mumbai Indians decided to let go of him.
Pandya can certainly come up the order if needed considering the game situation and he is more of a batter than a bowler. However, his two-three over spells are going to be very crucial in terms of the side having the right balance, and he has a lot of variations under his belt as well.
Pandya had a brilliant IPL 2019 season for the Mumbai Indians where he scored 402 runs in 15 innings at an average of 44.66 and an unbelievable strike rate of 191.42. He played a lot of impactful innings and got his team out of bail a lot of times in the title-winning campaign. It will be interesting to see Pandya&#8217;s leadership skills in this IPL considering India&#8217;s future as well.

<h3>7. Rahul Tewatia</h3>
<figure id="attachment_456552" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-456552" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-456552" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Rahul-Tewatia-of-RR.jpg" alt="Rahul Tewatia" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-456552" class="wp-caption-text">Rahul Tewatia. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI)</figcaption></figure>
Rahul Tewatia was picked up for a whopping INR 9 crore by the Gujarat Titans in the mega auction for IPL 2022 and they hand to land the all-rounder after some intense bidding against the <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/ipl-2022-best-starting-playing-xi-of-royal-challengers-bangalore-rcb-after-mega-auction/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Royal Challengers Bangalore</a> and Chennai Super Kings. The Haryana lad played for the Rajasthan Royals in the previous edition.
Tewatia has been looked at as a utility all-rounder as he can contribute with his leg-spin while smacking it around at the back end of the innings. He adds in a left-handed option in the middle order and his five sixes against Sheldon Cottrell in an over in IPL 2020 definitely took the world by a massive shock.
The 28-year old earned a maiden call up for the Indian side but could not make his debut after missing out on fitness issues. He is likely to have a slightly bigger responsibility for the Gujarat Titans with the amount of money spent on him and he has the ability to win games on his own as well.

<h3>8. Rashid Khan</h3>
<figure id="attachment_505694" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-505694" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-505694" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Rashid-Khan-2.jpg" alt="Rashid Khan" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-505694" class="wp-caption-text">Rashid Khan. (Photo Source: Twitter)</figcaption></figure>
<a href="https://www.crictracker.com/excited-to-play-alongside-hardik-pandya-and-rashid-khan-for-the-first-time-rahul-tewatia-interview/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Rashid Khan</a> is one of the world-class spinners going around in the limited-overs format and he is a match-winner with the ball. The Afghanistan leggie was retained by the Gujarat Titans ahead of the IPL 2022 mega auction and he is likely to have a big impact on the franchise.
The 23-year-old has some phenomenal numbers in the shortest format and has been plying his trade for various franchises all over the globe. He has picked up 93 wickets in 76 IPL games at a mind-blowing economy rate of 6.33 and likes to bowl the tough overs for the side as well.
Rashid is very quick through the air and hardly gives the batters time to free their arms over the years. He has one of the best googlies which is nicely disguised and has left a lot of batters in disarray. He has improved his batting in the last year or so and can certainly hit the long ones down the order giving an added advantage.

<h3>9. R Sai Kishore</h3>
<figure id="attachment_222744" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-222744" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-222744" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/R.-Sai-Kishore.jpg" alt="R. Sai Kishore" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-222744" class="wp-caption-text">R. Sai Kishore. (Photo Source: TNPL)</figcaption></figure>
A lot of franchises showed interest in the Tamil Nadu spinner R Sai Kishore as he was bought for INR 3 crore after an intense bidding war between Rajasthan Royals, Delhi Capitals, Chennai Super Kings, Punjab Kings, Gujarat Titans and Sunrisers Hyderabad. The left-arm spinner has been doing really well in the domestic circuit for a long time now.
<a href="https://www.crictracker.com/reports-shahrukh-khan-r-sai-kishore-added-as-backups-for-west-indies-series/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sai Kishore</a> has an economy rate of 5.46 in 38 T20s so far and he is a wicket-taking option as well. He likes to bowl with the new ball and great control as well. It is a big surprise that the Chennai Super Kings benched him throughout the season last year and finally, he is all set to get opportunities for the Gujarat Titans.
He was called up for the Indian side last year during the Sri Lanka tour and was unlucky to have not made his international debut despite a lot of players suffering from Covid-19. He is expected to set the stage on fire this time and he will not get a better companion to learn from other than Rashid Khan in the side.

<h3>10. Mohammed Shami</h3>
<figure id="attachment_388475" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-388475" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-388475" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Mohammed-Shami-kxip.jpg" alt="Mohammed Shami" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-388475" class="wp-caption-text">Mohammed Shami. (Photo Source: Twitter)</figcaption></figure>
Mohammad Shami was surprisingly not retained by the Punjab Kings ahead of IPL 2022 mega auction and he was picked up by the Gujarat Titans for INR 6.25 crore from the marquee set. Shami attracted bids from the likes of <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/ipl-2022-best-starting-xi-of-lucknow-super-giants-after-mega-auction/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lucknow Super Giants</a>, Kolkata Knight Riders and the Royal Challengers Bangalore and finally landed in the Hardik Pandya led side.
Shami has immense experience in IPL having played for various franchises and is among the top fast bowlers in the country alongside Jasprit Bumrah. The 31-year-old has played 77 IPL games and he fared well in the last three seasons for the Punjab Kings by leading from the front in the bowling setup.
The right-arm seamer can nail his yorkers in the death overs and seams the ball both ways in the powerplay, making him one of the toughest bowlers to face. He has got a lot of pace left in him still and will be a huge addition to the side if he can play all the games in this season.

<h3>11. Lockie Ferguson</h3>
<figure id="attachment_346868" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-346868" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-346868" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Lockie-Ferguson-of-New-Zealand-world-cup-2019.jpg" alt="Lockie-Ferguson-of-New-Zealand-world-cup-2019" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-346868" class="wp-caption-text">Lockie Ferguson of New Zealand. (Photo Source: Twitter)</figcaption></figure>
Lockie Ferguson was picked by the Gujarat Titans for a whopping INR 10 crore in the IPL 2022 mega auction after an intense bidding battle between <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/dc-players-list-2022-complete-delhi-caitals-dc-squad-players-list-for-ipl-2022/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Delhi Capitals</a>, Lucknow Super Giants and Royal Challengers Bangalore. The New Zealand pacer can be very lethal with his pace and he will form the perfect partner for the likes of Shami.
Ferguson is one of the quickest bowlers going around in the world at the moment and can easily clock it above 150 Kmph consistently. He had a fine season for the Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2021 and is a wicket-taking option at the death or in the powerplay.
Ferguson is yet to be tested on a full season as he has managed to play just the 22 IPL games so far since making his IPL debut in 2017 and he is coming from an injury which might be concerns going forward. However, he will definitely feature in the playing XI if he doesn&#8217;t have any fitness concerns.

Lockie Ferguson at INR 10 Crores was the most expensive buy for Gujarat Titans in the IPL 2022 mega auction.

IPL 2022: Best starting XI of Gujarat Titans after mega auction

Gujarat Titans had a decent IPL 2022 mega auction in terms of building up their squads. After the mega auction, here is the strongest XI