IPL 2026: Gujarat Titans SWOT Analysis

The Gujarat Titans (GT) have been one of the most consistent franchises in the Indian Premier League (IPL) ever since their debut in 2022. A title in that very season, while also making the final and a play-off appearance in the next three seasons, has cemented them as one of the front-runners for the coveted trophy. 

Here, we present our SWOT analysis for the Gujarat Titans ahead of the 2026 Indian Premier League season.

Strength

The Gujarat Titans’ biggest strength lies in their formidable top three. Young Sai Sudharshan led the line with 759 runs in 15 innings last season and won the Orange Cap in the process. Skipper Shubman Gill also scored 650 runs, while Jos Buttler scored 538 in 13 matches before leaving the tournament due to international commitments. 

GT’s consistency speaks for itself. In his breakthrough season in 2023, Sai Sudharshan scored 362 runs in just eight innings at an average of 51. In his first full season the following year, he scored 527 in 12 innings. However, the Tamil Nadu batter took his game to a different level last season, amassing 759 runs at an average of over 54 while striking at 156. 

Similarly, both Gill and Buttler have shattered records in their best individual seasons, with Gill scoring 890 runs in 2023 and Buttler scoring 863 runs the season before. Thus, with three potential Orange Cap candidates in their top three, it’s no surprise the Titans are consistently vying for the top honour every season. 

That said, while batters win you matches, bowlers win you tournaments. And in that aspect, GT have one of the best bowling attacks in the tournament. Lanky speedster Prasidh Krishna won the Purple Cap last season after taking 25 wickets in 15 outings, with assistance from Sai Kishore and Mohammed Siraj, who took 19 and 16 wickets, respectively. 

Afghan wizard Rashid Khan had a season to forget last time out, but after a very good international calendar where he looked in good rhythm, the GT management will be hoping for a lot more from their spin specialist. Besides, the addition of Jason Holder alongside South African pace stalwart Kagiso Rabada gives them more options in the international seam-bowling department, making this GT attack even more potent. 

Weakness

The Titans’ struggles lower down the batting order aren’t something new and have plagued them since the very beginning. David Miller to some extent filled that void with his experience and clutch performances, but since his departure, the onus has been on Shahrukh Khan and Rahul Tewatia to shoulder this responsibility, but neither batter has been able to justify the unwavering trust put upon them by the GT management.

After IPL 2025, Khan had a decent outing in the Tamil Nadu Premier League but was dropped from his state team for the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy after scoring just 18 runs in four outings.

GT’s specialist finisher Rahul Tewatia also hasn’t had the best of times. The 32-year-old did not play any competitive cricket after IPL 2025. He came back during the Vijay Hazare Trophy but had a disappointing showing, managing just 69 runs in six matches. 

Thus, with both players woefully out of form and coming into the tournament with very little game time, how GT deal with this situation may very well make or break their season.

Opportunity

The departure of Sherfane Rutherford should finally open the door for both Washington Sundar and Glenn Phillips to feature more consistently in this GT line-up.

Both Sundar and Phillips were victims of unfortunate injuries and team combinations last year, which restricted their game time significantly. While Sundar played five games for GT last season, Phillips warmed the bench for large parts, with the management preferring Rutherford instead, before a groin injury ruled him out of the tournament.

Fast forward one year, and both Sundar and Phillips have become regular starters for their national side, with the latter currently playing some of the best cricket of his career. Besides, given both players possess all-round abilities and the remarkable improvement in their batting over the last 12–18 months, both should walk straight into the starting XI this time around.

Another player who can become an X-factor for GT this season is Jason Holder. Bought for INR 7 crore in the mini-auction, the West Indies all-rounder has the potential to replace Kagiso Rabada as the fourth overseas option for GT. The 34-year-old is coming off an excellent T20 World Cup, and his inclusion will solve both their lower order batting problems as well as give them a seriously good international T20 bowler. Moreover, upgrading Rabada with Holder only makes sense, as the South African hasn’t been at his best in the shortest format for quite some time now.

Threat

While GT’s biggest strength is arguably their formidable top three, in the months leading up to the 2026 IPL season, all three have shown signs of vulnerability and some chink in their armour. Skipper Shubman Gill and last season’s Orange Cap winner Sai Sudharshan were struggling for form the last time they played competitive cricket, while wicketkeeper-batter Jos Buttler is arguably undergoing the leanest patch of his career.

India’s ODI captain Gill was a part of the T20 squad that just retained the World Cup crown. However, following a woeful run of form, the management decided to drop him from the setup altogether. Similarly, after two difficult series against Australia and South Africa, Sudharshan entered the domestic circuit low on confidence, though the southpaw regained some of his form with a half-century and then a century in the final two games of the SMAT.

The brilliance of Prasidh Krishna, Mohammed Siraj, and Sai Kishore with the ball carried this team into the playoffs, but the lack of contribution from the rest of the attack — in particular, Rashid Khan — finally caught up with them. The Afghanistan T20I skipper took 46 wickets in his first two seasons with GT, but in the following two seasons he has just picked up 19 wickets in 27 matches. Thus, for GT to go big, they’ll need Rashid Khan to get back to his best.

Probable XII: Sai Sudharshan, Shubman Gill, Jos Buttler, Washington Sundar, Glenn Phillips, Rahul Tewatia, Jason Holder, Rashid Khan, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Sai Kishore (Impact Sub) 

Prediction: 3rd