Former RCB coach Mohammad Kaif pointed out the weaknesses in Gujarat Titans’ bowling deck. He said Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna have been hit in the death overs, while Kagiso Rabada’s form has dipped in recent times.
The Titans entered the 2026 mini-auction retaining 20 players from last season. They were successful in selecting only four fast bowlers in the team. Jason Holder, Ashok Sharma, Luke Wood, and Prithvi Raj Yara.
Gujarat Titans won the IPL in their first season in 2022 and then finished as runners-up in 2023. However, after back-to-back success, the Titans could not finish in the top-two in the next two seasons.
Mohammad Kaif reveals lack of death overs experts in Gujarat Titans
Former Indian player Mohammad Kaif believes that Gujarat Titans’ death bowling problems will cost them dearly in the upcoming IPL season, as it did last time in IPL 2025. He told that Mohammad Siraj had to face death last time in IPL.
The former Indian batsman replied, “Siraj is a new-ball bowler. Prasidh Krishna bowls in the middle. His strength is hit-the-deck bowling. The Ahmedabad ground is big. The square boundaries are big. He bowls tough lengths in the middle. So I can understand what his role is.”
Last time, Prasidh Krishna operated in the middle stage and then bowled one or two overs in the death overs. Kagiso Rabada has not been useful, and his place in the XI may also not be a straight forward choice, as both Holder and Phillips look vital to the team’s dynamics.
He said, “Prasidh Krishna has also shown improvement in his slower balls. The ball falls and he takes wickets, but he does not have death bowling. Kagiso Rabada is getting hit. Siraj also got hit. I am talking about the last three or four matches of last year. Prasidh Krishna got hits.”
They always win the auction – Mohammad Kaif
In the same discussion video, Mohammad Kaif highlighted that despite building a great team, Gujarat Titans could not finish in the top two in IPL 2025.
He said, “This team has two backups for every player. They always win the auction. Compared to other teams, their auction plan is brilliant. However, last year they won nine of the first 12 matches and were sitting at the top, but after that they could not finish in the top two. They had to play eliminators. They lost their last three matches in a row.”
The cricketer turned commentator said that due to the pressure in the business end, the bowling of Shubman Gill’s team was exposed. Teams like LSG, CSK and MI scored 225+ runs against them in the last three matches as they lost the back-end games, ultimately crashing out of the eliminator.
“Initially, bowling was their strength, but when the main tournament came, when they had to win one match to qualify in the top two, they lost all three matches. So bowling also got exposed under pressure,” Kaif said.
How will be the playing 12 of Gujarat Titans in IPL 2026?
Gujarat Titans will not have much dilemma regarding their top three cricketers. The two Indian batsmen who will open for them will be Shubman Gill and Sai Sudarshan. World T20 legend Jos Buttler is at number. For Titans 3.
They can include New Zealand’s middle-order batsman Glenn Phillips in the middle order, who can be useful with the ball as well as on the field. After Phillips will come the middle order, which does not appear to be the strongest.
Washington Sundar and Shahrukh Khan could be next in the batting order, while Jason Holder is at number three. 7 for Gujarat Titans. However, this simply means that Kagiso Rabada will not be included in the playing eleven.
The bowling deck will include final overseas selection Rashid Khan, fast bowler Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna and spinner R Sai Kishore. After completing the XI, Nishant Sindhu and Rahul Tewatia are left as the options for the impact players.
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