IPL 2026 auction concluded recently, with teams like Gujarat Titans (GT) making calculated moves to bolster their line-ups ahead of the upcoming season. GT entered with a substantial purse of ₹125 crore, spending ₹123.05 crore on a balanced 25-player squad featuring seven overseas talents. This mini-auction phase highlighted GT’s focus on retaining proven performers while targeting value buys to address depth issues from prior campaigns.
Gujarat Titans’ intelligent core retentions
Gujarat Titans showcased auction savvy by prioritizing retentions of their high-impact core, ensuring leadership and firepower remained intact. Captain Shubman Gill headlines the retained Indian contingent at ₹16.50 crore, backed by Rashid Khan (₹18.00 crore), the Afghan spinner renowned for match-winning economy rates under pressure. Explosive opener Jos Buttler commands ₹15.75 crore, bringing white-ball mastery with over 4,000 IPL runs, while pace spearhead Mohammed Siraj (₹12.25 crore) and South African express Kagiso Rabada (₹10.75 crore) form a lethal bowling attack capable of dismantling top orders on any surface.
Sai Sudharsan (₹8.50 crore) provides elegant top-order stability, complementing Gill’s aggression, as GT builds on their 2022 title-winning blueprint. All-rounders like Rahul Tewatia (₹4.00 crore) and M Shahrukh Khan (₹4.00 crore) add finishing prowess, with Washington Sundar (₹3.20 crore) offering spin-batting utility. Domestic uncapped gems such as Sai Kishore (₹2.00 crore), Gurnoor Brar (₹1.30 crore), and Manav Suthar (₹0.30 crore) were locked in for spin depth and future potential, reflecting GT’s youth-investment philosophy. Overseas retentions like Glenn Phillips (₹2.00 crore) and Tom Banton (base ₹2.00 crore, sold at same) enhance middle-order flexibility, allowing GT to navigate overseas slot constraints effectively.
These retentions left GT with ₹12.90 crore for auction day, enabling targeted splurges without overextending. Releases of players like Gerald Coetzee and Mahipal Lomror freed slots for fresh blood, signalling a refined strategy post a middling previous season where middle-order fragility cost them playoffs. GT’s management, led by franchise owner CVC Capital, emphasized balance—prioritizing express pace, spin variety, and power-hitting—positioning them as dark horses for IPL 2026.
Salaries of GT Players in IPL 2026
Auction highlights included West Indies all-rounder Jason Holder‘s blockbuster acquisition for ₹7.00 crore (from ₹2.00 crore base), injecting raw pace, lower-order muscle, and death-over nous to GT’s arsenal. Prasidh Krishna bolstered the seam unit at ₹9.50 crore, his towering bounce suiting bouncy pitches. Lower down, value picks shone: Ashok Sharma (₹0.90 crore from ₹0.30 lakh base), Luke Wood (₹0.75 crore), Jayant Yadav (₹0.75 crore), and Ishant Sharma (₹0.75 crore) provide experienced backups.
| S.No. | Player | Sold Price (₹) |
| 1 | Rashid Khan | 18 crores |
| 2 | Shubman Gill | 16 crores 50 lakh |
| 3 | Jos Buttler | 15 crores 75 lakh |
| 4 | Mohammed Siraj | 12 crores 25 lakh |
| 5 | Kagiso Rabada | 10 crores 75 lakh |
| 6 | Prasidh Krishna | 9 crores 50 lakh |
| 7 | Sai Sudharsan | 8 crores 50 lakh |
| 8 | Jason Holder | 7 crores |
| 9 | M Shahrukh Khan | 4 crores |
| 10 | Rahul Tewatia | 4 crores |
| 11 | Washington Sundar | 3 crores 20 lakh |
| 12 | Tom Banton | 2 crores |
| 13 | Glenn Phillips | 2 crores |
| 14 | Sai Kishore | 2 crores |
| 15 | Gurnoor Brar | 1 crore 30 lakh |
| 16 | Arshad Khan | 1 crore 30 lakh |
| 17 | Ashok Sharma | 90 lakh |
| 18 | Luke Wood | 75 lakh |
| 19 | Jayant Yadav | 75 lakh |
| 20 | Ishant Sharma | 75 lakh |
| 21 | Kumar Kushagra | 65 lakh |
| 22 | Nishant Sindhu | 30 lakh |
| 23 | Manav Suthar | 30 lakh |
| 24 | Anuj Rawat | 30 lakh |
| 25 | Prithvi Raj | 30 lakh |
