IPL 2024 auction: Who can replace Hardik Pandya in Gujarat Titans?

Who can replace Hardik Pandya in Gujarat Titans in IPL 2024? It seems to be one of the key areas of interest in the mini auction, scheduled in Dubai on 19 December, as the final list of 333 players to go under the hammer was released by the BCCI on Monday, 11 December.  

While the annual mini auctions are no stranger to some mega deals, what with the franchises eyeing to fill up specific slots from a smaller pool of players – IPL has just seen the biggest trade off in history when the star India allrounder was traded to his original franchise Mumbai Indians for his annual fee of a whopping Rs 15 crore and an undisclosed transfer fee. The cash injection will see the Titans sitting at the auction table with the biggest purse of Rs 38.15 crore, but there are not too many allrounders in the game who can match Pandya’s multi-tasking abilities. 

The last two seasons had seen Pandya rediscover himself as a performer and a leader, adapting himself to a more responsible role up the batting order and regularly clocking 140-plus with his seam bowling. Shubman Gill, a young captain and not really tested in the pressure cooker atmosphere of IPL, may like to pick the brains an experienced customer in this role to be part of a leadership group. 

However, another interesting prospect whose name has come up is Azmatullah Omarzai of Afghanistan, who stood out with an all-round performance of 353 runs from nine matches and nine wickets in the 2023 World Cup. The 23-year-old has a good strike rate in batting and can open the bowling in T20 format and the fact that the team already has his compatriots Rashid Khan and Noor Ahmed may influence the decision makers.      

Irfan Pathan, former India allrounder and now a TV pundit, was even more categoric in a recent observation: ‘’I see Azmatullah Omarzai going to Gujarat Titans because he is a perfect fit. We have Rashid Khan there as well, who can actually get the best out of his countryman. Apart from an allrounder, they require a proper fast bowler there. They need to go for that extra pace, and they have a good purse available.’’ 

The scramble for allrounders may define this auction with Chennai Super Kings, five-time champions, also on the lookout for someone to replace Ben Stokes. The talismanic allrounder and England Test captain could hardly serve the yellow shirts last season due to injury and has opted out of next year’s league – leaving the management with a healthy purse of Rs 31.4 crore. Sunrisers Hyderabad, who has had an underwhelming last couple of seasons, has the second best purchasing capacity after Titans at 34 crore.  

A lot of strategising goes ahead of the auction with some of the franchises conducting dry runs before the actual event – while secrecy is the buzzword about which players they would angle for. However, there is a core group of players who are expected to spark an intense bidding war in Travis Head, Player of the Final in the 50-overs World Cup, senior pros Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc; New Zealand’s emerging star Rachin Ravindra and South African duo of pace sensation Gerald Coetzee and wiry batsman Rassie van der Dussen.   

Altogether 23 players have bracketed themselves at the highest reserve price of Rs 2 crore – and these include the Aussie trio mentioned above, wicketkeeper-batter Jos Inglis, Steve Smith and Jos Hazzlewood. 13 players are in the auction list with a base price of Rs 1.5 crore while Ravindra – who has placed himself at the lowest base price of Rs 50 lakh – is expected to go for at least 10 to 15 times the price.  

Out of 333 players shortlisted by the 10 franchises, 214 are Indians and 119 are overseas players of which two players are from associate nations. A maximum of 77 slots are now available with up to 30 being slotted for overseas players. 

IPL AUCTION IN FIGURES 

Total Salary cap available: Rs 262.95 cr 

Available players’ slots: 77 

Overseas players: 30 

Purse left with each franchise: 

Chennai Super Kings: Rs 31.4 cr 

Delhi Capitals: 28.95 cr 

Gujarat Titans: 38.15 cr 

Kolkata Knight Riders: 32.7 cr 

Lucknow Super Giants: 13.15 cr 

Mumbai Indians: 17.75 cr 

Punjab Kings: 29.1 cr 

Royal Challengers Bangalore: 23.25 cr 

Rajasthan Royals: 14.5 cr 

Sunrisers Hyderabad: 34 cr