Gujarat Titans (GT)The franchise, built on consistent performance in its early years, had a solid, though ultimately disappointing, performance Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 Season. They finished fourth in the points table with 9 wins from 14 matches, successfully qualifying for the playoffs but lost in the eliminator.
Despite strong league stage performances, the team’s ability to capitalize on its core strengths was hampered by poor performances from some high-value players and a lack of depth in key areas, highlighted in crucial knockout games. Notably, expensive foreign signings and retained domestic all-rounders failed to make match-winning contributions relative to their price tags. To free up a significant portion of their auction funds and find more impactful talent, GT should strategically release financially burdened players ahead of the IPL 2026 mini-auction.
Gujarat Titans may release 5 players before IPL 2026 auction
1.Kagiso Rabada (foreign fast bowler)
- Contract Price: Rs 10.75 crore
- Reason for release: High cost, minimal availability and poor production
gt safe Kagiso Rabada For a high price, intended for him to be the leader of a specific movement. However, his IPL 2025 season was plagued with inconsistent form and off-field issues, which led to limited participation. He took 2 wickets in only 4 matches at a high average and economy rate of 81.00. Given the presence of other quality pacers like Mohammad Siraj And with the high price consuming a vital overseas slot, his release is an essential financial and strategic decision to find a more reliable, full-season overseas option.
2. Jayant Yadav (Allrounder/Spinner)
- Contract Price: 75 lakh rupees
- Reason for release: Minimal use and limited role
Despite being re-signed for IPL 2025, Jayant Yadav has seen minimal playing time for GT all season, and has often failed to make the playing eleven. As a finger-spinner, he competes with Rashid Khan and Washington Sundar, who provide more utility. Releasing a domestic player with little usage but a significant price tag will free up a team slot to invest in an emerging domestic wrist-spinner or middle-order batsman.
3. Ishant Sharma (fast bowler)
- Contract Price: INR 75 lakh (base price)
- Reason for release: Age, diminishing returns and disability
The experienced fast bowler was brought in for his experience, but his performance in IPL 2025 has been modest. he played 7 matches, Ishant took only 4 wickets at an expensive economy rate of 11.18. At the age of 37, age and fitness are becoming a concern to maintain pace and consistency in T20 cricket. While his cost is low, a young, high-upside domestic speed attack needs to be prioritized to complement GT Prasidh Krishna And Mohammad SirajHis release is a strategic move to open up space in the domestic team for emerging Indian fast bowling talent.
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4. Gerald Coetzee (Expatriate fast bowler)
- Contract Price: Rs 2.40 crore
- Reason for release: Inconsistent output and squad optimization
Signed as an overseas pace option, Gerald Coetzee featured in only 4 matches in IPL 2025, taking 2 wickets with an economy rate of 10.92. Although he is a promising talent, his inconsistent performance and history of injuries make him a high-risk player for the overseas slot. The Titans should look to optimize their limited overseas slots for players who are guaranteed to be match-winners, making Coetzee’s release a move to acquire a more impactful overseas player who can deliver consistent results.
5. Karim Janat (Overseas all-rounder)
- Contract Price: INR 75 lakh (base price)
- Reason for release: Minimal use and side effects
The Afghanistan all-rounder was largely under-utilized in IPL 2025 and played only 1 match. In that only appearance, he was extremely expensive, giving away runs at a staggering economy rate of 30.00 in his single over and failing to score runs with the bat. His minimal on-field utility and high run-conceding spell makes his retention unreasonable. Releasing him will free up an overseas player slot and a small portion of the purse to target a specialist overseas player with a proven track record in T20 cricket.
Also read: Prithvi Shaw in CSK? 3 teams who can target opening batsmen in IPL 2026 auction
