Gujarat Titans have reached the IPL 2026 playoffs, but a situation involving English batsman Tom Banton has suddenly diverted attention. The explosive opening batsman was ruled out of IPL 2026 in April due to a finger injury without playing a single match for Gujarat Titans.
But now he has surprisingly returned to the field in England. Gujarat Titans To strengthen its batting lineup, Banton was selected for Rs 2 crore in the IPL 2026 auction.
But on April 17, the franchise announced that he would not play the remainder of the season due to injury. Later, young South African Connor Esterhuizen replaced him in the GT team.
Tom Banton returns for Somerset in T20 Blast after missing IPL 2026
Now, more than a month after leaving IPL 2026, Tom Banton was seen playing in the opening match for Somerset. t20 blast 2026 Against Hampshire. He looked in good form and played aggressively at the top of the order.
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Chasing 159 runs, Banton opened the innings with Will Smeed and scored 30 runs in 23 balls with the help of three fours and a six. The pair gave Somerset a flying start with a 90-run partnership in just 7.3 overs, but Liam Dawson dismissed Banton.
Smeed continued the attack and scored 59, while James Reeve finished the chase brilliantly with an unbeaten 47 off 29 balls. Somerset won the match by seven wickets hampshire.
Tom Banton’s return after Gujarat Titans’ exit raised eyebrows
But the most surprising thing was that Banton had already returned to batting earlier this month before impressing in the T20 Blast 2026 opener. On 15 May, he played for the Somerset Second XI and scored 85 not out. Because of this, many people are now raising questions about his exclusion from the IPL.
In the last IPL season, some foreign players had left the IPL midway due to not getting a chance in the playing eleven and Banton’s situation is also similar now. Fans are wondering if injury was the only reason behind his departure from Gujarat Titans.
with comparison Phil Salt has also added spice to the situation. Salt also went back home after suffering a finger injury during IPL 2026, but he again returned to India to join Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) ahead of the IPL 2026 playoffs.
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Shubman Gill leads Gujarat Titans to top two finish in IPL 2026
Meanwhile, Gujarat Titans have continued to perform strongly in the tournament. The Shubman Gill-led franchise is currently placed second Mark sheet With nine wins in 14 matches. Bringing Jason Holder in place of Glenn Phillips has also given good balance to the team.
GT will now face RCB in Qualifier 1 in Dharamshala on May 26 with a direct place in the IPL 2026 final at stake. Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) have also qualified for the playoffs, with the final spot still pending. Kolkata Knight Riders, Rajasthan Royals, Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals all have a chance to take the final playoff spot.
