GT acquired the Proteas Kagiso Rabada for INR 10.75 crore during the IPL 2025 mega auction.
Former Indian batter Aakash Chopra questioned the bowling strategies of Gujarat Titans (GT) ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025. The former player reckoned that death bowling could be one of their troubles among several other loopholes. The cricketer-turned-commentator opined that South African pacer Kagiso Rabada, whom the Gujarat-based franchise acquired by spending INR 10.75 crore, could not be a formidable option in the death overs.
Moreover, he also ruled out potential options in the form of Gerald Coetzee, Prasidh Krishna, and Mohammed Siraj.
“Do they have established death bowlers? We don’t consider Kagiso Rabada an established death bowler. We feel he becomes slightly expensive there. Gerald Coetzee is the same story. He proves expensive at the death. Prasidh Krishna, Mohammed Siraj – all of them can be expensive at the death”, Chopra said on his YouTube channel.
Apart from GT’s death bowling concern, Chopra has pointed out another weak point of this side. According to him, their “untested” middle-order might pose a challenge in their aim to put a big total on the scoreboard. One of their top three batters, Shubman Gill, Jos Buttler, and Sai Suarshan, has to stay in the middle for at least 15 overs to make it easy for their big hitters, feels Chopra.
“If the top is so good, they have a slightly inexperienced and untested middle order, where you will find Mahipal Lomror, Rahul Tewatia, Shahrukh Khan, Glenn Phillips/Sherfane Rutherford, and you start thinking that they are not that explosive”, he stated.
The commentator also discussed some strong areas where the team can maximise their chances. He picked Washington Sundar and former RCB player Mohammed Siraj, who could prove to be good inclusions for the team.
While talking about Sundar, he feels that the spinner is a bit “underrated”. He also acknowledged that the 25-year-old didn’t get to play any matches in India’s spin-dominated Champions Trophy 2025 triumph.
“Washington Sundar’s stock has gone so low. I don’t know why. He was there in the Champions Trophy recently, but didn’t play a single match. He is an ICC trophy winner but without playing a single match”, said Chopra.
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The former batter also emphasised Sundar’s abilities despite going for a low price in the mega-auction. Gujarat bought him for INR 3.20 crore following his release from the SRH.
“Here also he has been sold cheap. So he is slightly underrated. People are not giving him that much importance but he is a decent player in my opinion. He might not be a very good finisher, but can bowl in the powerplay and bat at the start. So he could be that umbrella man kind of a player. It’s a massive opportunity for Washington Sundar”, he stated.
Furthermore, Aakash Chopra feels Mohammed Siraj, who was discarded from the Champions Trophy 2025 team, could use this IPL to make a comeback in India’s T20I squad.
“Mohammed Siraj, it’s a huge opportunity for Miyan Magic because he has been left out in white-ball cricket. He wasn’t there in the Champions Trophy squad. Why wasn’t he there? No one is taking his name for T20s. Bengaluru also let him go. Mohammed Siraj has a great opportunity to make it back to the Indian team on the back of a fantastic IPL”, he explained.
The 2022 IPL winners Gujarat Titans will start their campaign against Punjab Kings (PBKS) on March 25.
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