6 GT Players Who Could Be Released Before IPL 2027 Auction
Gujarat Titans had one of their best seasons since their title-winning debut in 2022. They finished second in the league stage with 18 points, lost Qualifier 1 to Royal Challengers Bengaluru, then came back to beat Rajasthan Royals by seven wickets in Qualifier 2 — Shubman Gill’s century doing the heavy lifting — before falling to RCB by five wickets with 12 balls remaining in the final at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. GT’s third final in five seasons, and still no second title to show for it.
So like RR’s situation, this isn’t a release list born out of failure. GT were one of the strongest teams in IPL 2026, with Gill and Sai Sudharsan producing one of the highest partnerships in IPL 2026. Jos Buttler added further batting strength, while Rabada, Rashid Khan, and Siraj led the bowling attack. The release candidates here are mainly fringe players who received little game time or produced limited returns. These names could join the wider list of IPL 2027 released players as Gujarat look to free up money and squad places.
6 Gujarat Titans Players Who Might Be Released Before IPL 2027
| Player | Role | Matches | Key Stat | Economy/SR | Release Reason |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M Shahrukh Khan | Batter | 9 | 43 runs, avg 10.75 | SR 130.30 | Low output, lost his finishing role |
| Tom Banton | Batter (WK) | 0 | No 2026 appearances | — | Signed at ₹2 crore, never played |
| Jayant Yadav | Bowling all-rounder | 0 | No 2026 appearances | — | Re-signed at ₹75 lakh, zero game time |
| Ishant Sharma | Bowler | 0 | No 2026 appearances | — | Retained at ₹75 lakh, no matches played |
| Luke Wood | Bowler | 0 | No 2026 appearances | — | Signed at ₹75 lakh, never played |
| Kulwant Khejroliya | Bowler | 1 | 0 wickets | — | One appearance, zero return |
1. M Shahrukh Khan – 43 runs in 9 matches (2026)
Shahrukh Khan has been in and around GT’s middle order for several seasons, bought as a power-hitting finisher who could accelerate in the closing overs. IPL 2026 was his least productive season yet with the franchise.
M Shahrukh Khan IPL 2026 Stats:
- Matches: 9
- Innings: 5
- Runs: 43
- Batting average: 10.75
- Strike rate: 130.30
- Highest score: 17
A strike rate of 130 would be considered moderate for a middle-order accumulator — for a player bought exclusively to clear the boundary in the final overs, it’s a concern. An average of 10.75 across five innings and a highest score of just 17 tell their own story: Shahrukh never got going in any innings when he was given the chance, and that lack of impact eventually cost him his place in the XI entirely. With GT’s batting lineup already deep through Buttler, Washington Sundar, Jason Holder, Rahul Tewatia, and Rashid Khan providing lower-order firepower, Shahrukh’s diminishing returns in the finisher role make him one of GT’s more straightforward release candidates.
Why he could be released:
He’s been kept as a power-hitter in the lower order for several seasons, but across IPL 2026 he barely scored in the innings he played and didn’t manage a meaningful strike rate for someone in his role. GT have plenty of finishing options already; Shahrukh isn’t adding to that in a way that justifies his place.
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2. Tom Banton – No IPL 2026 appearances
Gujarat Titans signed the English wicketkeeper-batter for ₹2 crore at the IPL 2026 mini-auction, targeting his explosive top-order hitting as a backup overseas batting option behind Jos Buttler.
Tom Banton IPL 2026 Stats:
- Matches: 0
- Innings: 0
- Runs: 0
Banton never made it into GT’s playing XI across the entire IPL 2026 campaign. With Buttler and Sai Sudharsan firmly set at the top of the order, the path to game time was always going to be narrow, and Banton was never given the chance to force his way in. For a player with a strong T20 reputation across global leagues — most recently playing a role for England at the 2026 T20 World Cup — an entire season on the bench at GT represents a wasted opportunity for both the player and the franchise.
Why he could be released:
He didn’t play a single match despite being a paid member of the squad. GT’s top-order options are already well covered with Buttler, Gill, and Sudharsan, and Banton needs actual game time somewhere to rebuild his IPL case.
3. Jayant Yadav – No IPL 2026 appearances
Jayant is one of Indian domestic cricket’s most experienced spinners, re-signed by GT for ₹75 lakh at the IPL 2026 auction as a squad spinner and lower-order batting option. His IPL 2026 campaign, unfortunately, never got started.
Jayant Yadav IPL 2026 Stats:
- Matches: 0
- Wickets: 0
The official Gujarat Titans squad page confirms Jayant played zero matches in IPL 2026. His path to the XI was always going to be tough with Rashid Khan as the lead spinner, but not getting a single opportunity across a full season — even in dead rubbers or rotated matches — suggests GT simply didn’t see a role for him in their preferred combination this year. Jayant has now gone multiple IPL seasons across different franchises without consistent game time, and at 34, the case for continued squad retention without a clear XI pathway grows harder to make.
Why he could be released:
He’s been part of the GT setup for several seasons now, but didn’t play a single match in 2026. Rashid Khan’s dominance in the spin department leaves little room for another spinner, and a release might actually give Jayant a better chance of finding regular cricket elsewhere.
4. Ishant Sharma – No IPL 2026 appearances
The veteran Indian fast bowler was retained by Gujarat Titans for ₹75 lakh ahead of IPL 2026, continuing a relationship that began when GT signed him after Delhi Capitals released him ahead of the 2025 auction. Now 37, Ishant brings pace-bowling experience and a mentoring presence in the dressing room, but his IPL 2026 season produced nothing on the field.
Ishant Sharma IPL 2026 Stats:
- Matches: 0
- Wickets: 0
The official GT website confirms Ishant played zero matches across IPL 2026. With a pace attack already featuring Kagiso Rabada, Mohammed Siraj, and Jason Holder as the primary options, Ishant had no genuine pathway into the first-choice XI. At his age and with GT’s bowling resources running deep, the franchise may decide that the ₹75 lakh is better used on a younger pace option who can genuinely push for a regular place.
Why he could be released:
He didn’t play a single match, and at 37, he’s behind several high-quality pace options in GT’s pecking order. The mentoring role is valuable, but not enough on its own to justify a squad spot if a younger bowler could offer the same depth plus actual game-time competition.
5. Luke Wood – No IPL 2026 appearances
Gujarat Titans signed the English left-arm pacer for ₹75 lakh at the IPL 2026 mini-auction, seeing him as a cost-effective overseas option who could provide left-arm variety alongside their predominantly right-arm pace attack. He was making his IPL debut with the franchise after a brief stint as a replacement player for Mumbai Indians in 2024.
Luke Wood IPL 2026 Stats:
- Matches: 0
- Wickets: 0
Wood didn’t feature in GT’s playing XI at any point during IPL 2026. With an overseas quota that was already well filled by Rabada, Buttler, Jason Holder, and Rashid Khan as first-choice picks, Wood was always going to be deep in the queue. A full season without game time makes his squad spot difficult to defend going into another year, especially if GT decide to use that overseas slot more productively.
Why he could be released:
GT simply had too many quality overseas players ahead of him in the pecking order. He never got a chance to show anything, and with the overseas spots at a premium, a release makes sense to free up flexibility for the IPL 2027 auction.
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6. Kulwant Khejroliya – 1 match, 0 wickets in 2026
The left-arm medium-fast bowler has been on the fringes of GT’s squad for a while now, offering left-arm variation and domestic experience as a backup seaming option. IPL 2026 gave him exactly one opportunity to make his case.
Kulwant Khejroliya IPL 2026 Stats:
- Matches: 1
- Wickets: 0
One match and no wickets is about as thin a return as it gets. The ESPNcricinfo live-match reports confirm Khejroliya was brought in for the IPL 2026 final as a replacement for Arshad Khan, suggesting his singular appearance was a tactical selection rather than a genuine opportunity to establish himself in the XI. At 33, with GT carrying multiple younger pace options in Ashok Sharma and a well-stocked seam attack, Khejroliya’s one-off appearance likely marks the end of his time at the franchise.
Why he could be released:
He got one match in the entire season and didn’t take a wicket. With younger seaming options available and GT’s pace attack already settled with Rabada, Siraj, and Holder, there isn’t a clear long-term role for him in the squad.
Two More GT Names to Watch
Jos Buttler – 526 runs in 2026: Buttler was GT’s most reliable overseas batter across the season — 17 matches, 526 runs at a strike rate of 152.46 and an average of 37.57 with four fifties. At 35, there are age-related questions about how long he continues at this level, but on IPL 2026 form alone he gave GT exactly what they needed as their overseas anchor at the top of the order. He is not a leading release candidate on performance, but GT may need to think carefully about their overseas balance as they reshape the squad.
Prasidh Krishna – 16 wickets in 2026: Prasidh played 12 matches and took 16 wickets at an average of 25.43, an economy rate of 10.43, and a best of 4/28. The wicket tally is solid, but an economy rate above 10 from a pace bowler who was part of GT’s main attack is a concern. He’s not an obvious release — 16 wickets in 12 matches is a decent return — but if GT decide to bring in a more economical Indian pace option at the auction, Prasidh’s place is not as secure as the wicket column alone suggests.
Where This Leaves GT
Gujarat Titans don’t need a rebuild — they need fine-tuning. Four of the six players on this list didn’t play a single match, which tells you more about how settled GT’s core already is than about any squad failure. Rabada, Rashid, Siraj, Gill, Sudharsan, and Buttler all delivered. The team reached a final.
The gap is narrow. GT were restricted to 155 batting first at their home ground in the final and never quite threatened RCB’s chase. That’s the margin they need to close in 2027, and the releases here — particularly overseas slots occupied by players who never featured — give them the purse and flexibility to do exactly that. This is a squad that sharpens its edges at the auction, not one that tears things down and starts again.
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FAQS❓
Based on IPL 2026 performance and game time, the six players most likely to be in GT’s release conversation are M Shahrukh Khan, Tom Banton, Jayant Yadav, Ishant Sharma, Luke Wood, and Kulwant Khejroliya, with Jos Buttler and Prasidh Krishna as notable names to watch.
No — GT had one of their strongest seasons. They finished second in the league stage with 18 points, beat Rajasthan Royals in Qualifier 2, and reached their third IPL final in five seasons before losing to Royal Challengers Bengaluru by five wickets in Ahmedabad.
Shahrukh played 9 matches but scored only 43 runs at an average of 10.75 and a strike rate of 130.30, with a highest score of 17. For a player signed as a death-overs power-hitter, those returns are well below what GT need from that role, especially with multiple other finishing options already in the squad.
Jayant was re-signed at ₹75 lakh but played zero matches across the entire IPL 2026 season, per the official GT squad page. With Rashid Khan occupying the lead spinner role, Jayant had no pathway to regular game time, and multiple unused seasons make his squad spot difficult to justify.
Prasidh played 12 matches and took 16 wickets at an average of 25.43 and a best of 4/28 — a decent return that makes him a borderline rather than obvious release candidate. However, his economy rate of 10.43 is a concern, and GT may look to improve that department heading into IPL 2027.
