IPL 2023: Three players GT could’ve picked instead of Joshua Little

The Irish pacer Joshua Little will play his first season in the Indian Premier League (IPL) as he bagged his maiden IPL contract from Gujarat Titans (GT) at the 2023 IPL auction in Kerala last month. The 23-year-old got signed at INR 4.4 crore due to his impressive bowling figures in T20 Internationals. With 62 wickets in 53 T20I matches, Little has looked excellent so far for his national team.

In the upcoming marquee event, his franchise will expect him to be brilliant with the ball against the opponents and defend the title successfully. For the young gun, the competition will become huge as he will be the first Irish cricketer to feature in the league. However, spending a huge sum on the bowler could cost the franchise in the forthcoming competition. As Little hasn’t played many games in India, he might struggle in the league. Rather than picking him, the franchise could’ve believed in some other bowlers who’ve a little experience in the IPL or other major leagues. 

Here are three players GT could’ve bought instead of Joshua Little

3. Wayne Parnell

Currently, Wayne Parnell is one of the most experienced cricketers in T20 Internationals as he has more than 13 years of experience. In his vast career, he has taken 57 wickets in 53 matches at an economy of 8.11. At the mini-auction last month, he also submitted his name to go under the hammer. However, the veteran didn’t get any buyers and went unsold. 

The Protea bowler’s base price was only INR 75 lakh, which could be considered very low after noting his immense experience. At the event, Gujarat Titans (GT) invested INR 4.4 crore in Joshua Little, who hasn’t featured in the league before. Instead of buying Little with no IPL background, the franchise should’ve shown faith in Parnell, who has experience of 26 IPL contests.

In all his appearances, the 33-year-old has scalped 26 wickets at an economy of 7.35. In 2014, he played for the last time in the league and bagged six wickets for Delhi Capitals (DC) in eight matches at an economy of 7.39.