As they prepared for the IPL 2023 mini-auction that took place in Kochi on Friday, December 23, the defending champions, Gujarat Titans (GT), had a plan to add more depth to their otherwise strong team. In the months leading up to this event, they had given up Afghanistan stumper Rahmanullah Gurbaz and seasoned New Zealand pacer Lockie Ferguson to the Kolkata Knight Riders.
With a purse of INR 19.25 crore and 10 slots available, GT, who finished as the table-toppers of IPL 2022 before defeating the Rajasthan Royals in Qualifier 1 and the final to win their first IPL title, entered this year’s mini-auction with seven Indian and three international players.
The Hardik Pandya-led team had parted ways with Dominic Drakes, Gurkeerat Singh, Jason Roy, Varun Aaron, Lockie Ferguson, and Rahmanullah Gurbaz prior to the IPL 2023 auction.
(5) Odean Smith (₹50 Lakh)
At the IPL 2023 mini-auctions held in Kochi on December 23, the West Indian medium-fast bowling all-rounder Odean Smith was purchased by the Gujarat Titans for INR 50 Lakhs. Smith was one of the six players in Set 2, intended for all-rounders, which contained his West Indies partner Jason Holder, Britain’s Ben Stirs up and Sam Curran, Bangladesh star Shakib Al Hasan, Australia’s Cameron Green and Zimbabwe’ Sikandar Raza.
Since his debut in 2018, Smith has played for the West Indies in 24 T20Is and five ODIs, all played in 2022. In T20Is, he has scored 162 runs at a strike rate of 139.65 and taken 24 wickets at an economy of 9.84. Generally speaking, he has sacked 70 wickets and scored 485 runs at a strike-pace of 139 from 66 appearances in all T20 cricket.
(4) KS Bharat (₹1.2 Crore)
The wicket-keeper batsman for the Indian Test team, K.S. Bharat, will play for Gujarat Titans (GT), the defending champions, in the IPL 2023. Gujarat Titans purchased him for INR 1.2 million. He previously played for the Delhi Capitals (DC) before joining Gujarat. He was not given enough chances while playing for the Capitals. In the 2022 season, the Andhra-based batter only appeared in two games and scored just eight runs. Before the Titans selected him, the Capitals let him go before the auction.
He could serve as a top-order batter for the champions. While batting at number one in the 2021 season, he demonstrated that he could win matches for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). 3, batting 38.20 and scoring 191 runs in eight matches. K.S. Bharat’s IPL career began in 2015 when he was selected in an auction by Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals). However, he was unable to participate in the lucrative IPL until the 2021 season.
(3) Kane Williamson (₹2 Crore)
During the IPL 2023 auction, Gujarat Titans selected Kane Williamson. The Kiwi player was bought by the team for Rs. $2 million. during the sale. Kane Williamson had kept a base cost of Rs. In the IPL 2023 auction, two crores. A player from New Zealand is Kane Williamson. He bats in the top order and uses his right hand. Williamson had played in numerous IPL seasons before.
Williamson played last season for Sunrisers Hyderabad. He was delivered by the group in front of IPL 2023 closeout. Williamson also led Sunrisers Hyderabad in the tournament the previous season. The New Zealand star appeared in 13 IPL 2023 matches. He scored 216 runs in 13 games at a normal of 19.64. In the tournament, he also hit 1 fifty. In 2015, Williamson made his debut in the Indian Premier League.
(2)Joshua Little (₹4.4 Crore)
Joshua Little became the first cricketer from Ireland to compete in the Indian Premier League (IPL). As a result, he made history. The Gujarat Titans XI selected the left-arm pacer to face Chennai Super Kings in the IPL 2023 opener on Friday at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Prior to the 16th season of the league, GT purchased Little, a net bowler for CSK, in the mini-auction for 4.4 crore rupees. Additionally, he was the first Irish cricketer to be selected in the IPL auction.
Little’s IPL debut didn’t begin the ideal note as he was dismantled by CSK opener Ruturaj Gaikwad and all-rounder Moeen Ali. In his first over in the IPL, he gave up 15 runs on the power play. After the powerplay, Little’s second spell was a strong comeback. The young left-hander gave up only seven runs despite Gaikwad hitting him for a six in the final ball of his second over.
(1) Shivam Mavi (₹6 Crore)
The Gujarat Titans purchased Shivam Mavi for Rs. 6 crore on Friday at the IPL 2023 auction in Kochi. Mavi’s starting price was Rs. 40 Lakh, the most elevated for an Indian uncapped players. The Kolkata Knight Riders began bidding and remained in contention until Rs. 1 crore.
Before Gujarat Giants made aggressive offers for the player, Lucknow Super Giants and Rajasthan Royals entered the race later. Delhi Capitals also entered the competition, but the defending champion won the six-crore deal.
Mavi made his debut in the IPL in 2018 and has appeared in 32 games for Knight Riders. He has picked 30 wickets at an economy pace of 8.71. In the tournament, his best score was 4/21 against the Rajasthan Royals in 2021. Mavi was also a member of India’s 2018 Under-19 team that won the championship. He plays domestic cricket for Uttar Pradesh.