The Gujarat Titans (GT), captained by Shubman Gill and coached by Ashish Nehra, will enter the IPL 2026 with a largely settled squad and a familiar core. After reaching the playoffs in IPL 2025, they lost the Eliminator to the Mumbai Indians. GT are hungry to go further this time.
The franchise, which famously won the IPL title in its debut season in 2022, plays its home games at the world’s largest cricket stadium, the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
The key addition to the squad is Jason Holder, who brings useful all-round muscle alongside Washington Sundar. Tom Banton has been brought in to fill the middle-order slot left by Sherfane Rutherford.
Glenn Phillips, the Kiwi Superman on the field, was ruled out injured without playing a single game last season. He is also back and is expected to be the preferred middle-order starter.
GT have also recruited former Australian batter Matthew Hayden as batting coach. Former India wicketkeeper Vijay Dahiya is now their assistant coach.
IPL 2026: Full GT Squad
Batters: Shubman Gill (C), Sai Sudharsan, Jos Buttler (WK), Kumar Kushagra (WK), Anuj Rawat (WK), Tom Banton (WK), Glenn Phillips, Shahrukh Khan.
All-Rounders: Washington Sundar, Jason Holder, Nishant Sindhu, Mohd. Arshad Khan, Sai Kishore, Jayant Yadav, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan
Bowlers: Kagiso Rabada, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Manav Suthar, Gurnoor Singh Brar, Ishant Sharma, Ashok Sharma, Prithvi Raj Yarra, Luke Wood
Coaching: Ashish Nehra (Head Coach), Matthew Hayden (Batting Coach), Vijay Dahiya (Assistant Coach)
GT: Predicted Playing XI
Sai Sudharsan and captain Shubman Gill form one of the most reliable opening partnerships in the IPL. Sudharsan won the Orange Cap last season with 759 runs while Shubman Gill contributed 650. The two will once again be expected to provide GT with solid, consistent starts.
Jos Buttler comes in at number three and keeps wicket. The Englishman scored over 530 runs last season but arrives under a cloud of poor form.
The former Rajasthan Royals player averages just 20.4 at a strike rate of 135 in T20s in 2026. However, his IPL pedigree means GT will back him to rediscover his best.
Washington Sundar bats at four and bowls off-spin in the powerplay. His dual role gives Gill both a batting stabiliser and an early spin option in a single player. That makes him arguably GT’s best-value retention at ₹3.20 crore.
Glenn Phillips slots in at five, bringing explosive hitting and handy off-spin. One of the finest fielders in world cricket, Phillips can completely shift a game’s momentum with a quick cameo. He also adds an extra bowling dimension.
Shahrukh Khan bats at six or seven, with either him or Rahul Tewatia potentially being used as the Impact Player, depending on match conditions. Tewatia, the ice-cool finisher, has bailed GT out of countless tight situations. He also chips in with useful leg-spin.
Rashid Khan is GT’s trump card. With 158 IPL wickets, he is one of the finest T20 bowlers in the world. However, last season was easily his worst in the IPL, his first without 10 wickets.
His economy crossed nine an over as well. A return to form from Rashid is the single biggest factor that could determine GT’s success this season.
Prasidh Krishna leads the pace attack after a stunning IPL 2025 season, where he took 25 wickets in 15 matches at an average under 20. Mohammed Siraj chipped in with 16 wickets last season. DSP Siraj provides aggression with the new ball while Kagiso Rabada adds express pace and powerplay threat.
Fitting Jason Holder into the XI is the key selection puzzle. Doing so may require benching either Rabada or leaving the middle order light by dropping Banton or Phillips.
Holder or Mohammed Siraj could serve as the Impact Player option depending on conditions. But, having too many options is a “happy” problem to have.
