IPL 2024: 3 changes Gujarat Titans should make to get back to winning ways

Match 17 of the Indian Premier League 2024 saw Gujarat Titans take on the Punjab Kings at the Narendra Modi stadium in Ahmedabad. Skipper Shubman Gill lost the toss and had to bat first and made the most of the flat surface. He was the top scorer of the side in this game with a stunning 89 runs off 48 balls which propelled his team to a massive score of 199 runs. 

Punjab Kings, in reply, lost their captain in the second over of the powerplay. Prabhsimran Singh and Jonny Bairstow led the charge but both succumbed to Noor Ahmed. The side lost wickets at regular intervals which derailed the chase. Shashank Singh kept it alive with a stunning knock under pressure. In the end, PBKS won the match in stunning fashion with one ball to spare. Let’s take a look at how Gujarat Titans can improve ahead of their next game against the Lucknow Super Giants.

Here are the 3 changes Gujarat Titans should make to get back to winning ways

3. Slot in Shahrukh Khan in place of Vijay Shankar

Vijay Shankar has been with the Gujarat Titans' outfit since the 2022 Indian Premier League season. He performed his role with brilliance during the second season and was touted for a comeback to the Indian team as well. However, his performances the 2024 season have been questionable. He has not been able to live up to the expectations set for him.

There is a case of trying Shahrukh Khan at his position because of the experience and versatility he brings to the line-up. He can be the power-hitter that the franchise desires and can also be a valuable bowler on spinning tracks. The all-rounder was picked at a hefty price by the Titans and it would make sense for the team management to give him an opportunity in the next game. 

2. Give more overs to Darshan Nalkande

The use of Darshan Nalkande in the last two games by the Gujarat Titans’ team management has been poor. They slotted him in the playing XI at the expense of their overseas speedster Spencer Johnson. However, he did not get more than two overs of Darshan in their previous game against the Sunrisers Hyderabad. He only bowled the final over against PBKS and was able to bring his side back into the contest.

This stunning display under pressure would have been a serious knock on the door of the team management that he should bowl his full quota of overs. He can be a serious threat to the batters with the kind of variations that he possesses in his skill-set.  

1. Better catching 

Gujarat Titans have only themselves to blame for the heart-breaking loss against the Punjab Kings. Even though they were tight in the field and were not complacent in stopping the ball from touching the boundary ropes, their catching could have been a lot better. In total, they dropped four catches today and that played a pivotal role in how the match went.

Two of the four dropped catches could have sealed the match itself. The first of those was the drop of Sikander Raza by Azmatullah Omarzai in the 11th over which would have been a blow to the Punjab Kings batting. The second one saw the drop of the Player of the Match, Shashank Singh during the 17th over by Umesh Yadav. If these two catches would have been taken, the outcome of the match could have been very different.