I don't think Gujarat Titans plugged the Hardik Pandya hole by any stretch of the imagination: Simon Doull

According to former cricketer Simon Doull, Gujarat Titans Titans have come up short in filling the void left by the departure of Hardik Pandya despite spending a hefty INR 30.30 crore on eight players in the IPL 2024 auction.

The Titans, who traded Pandya to the Mumbai Indians ahead of the auction, found themselves grappling to secure a suitable replacement.

"I don't think they have plugged the hole that Hardik Pandya has left by any stretch of the imagination," Doull told Star Sports.

Despite missing out on players like Mitchell Starc and Harshal Patel, the Titans did manage to bolster their squad. "But they have gone to Kartik Tyagi, so they have got some local bowling, which is what they needed - Umesh Yadav and Kartik Tyagi in particular," Doull said while highlighting the significance of local bowling.

Among the acquisitions praised by Doull were Spencer Johnson and Azmatullah Omarzai. Johnson, secured for INR 10 crore.

"Spencer Johnson was an interesting one for me. I like him. I think he is a very, very good cricketer. Moods (Tom Moody) knows a lot about him. He was obviously with Moods at the Oval Invincibles in The Hundred," he said.

Regarding Azmatullah Omarzai, who joined the team for ₹50 lakh, Doull remarked, "If you want an overseas all-rounder to fit into your side, Azmatullah Omarzai is an absolute steal at 50 lakhs."

GT's auction was really interesting: Tom Moody

Reflecting on the team's strategy, former Australian all-rounder Tom Moody weighed in on the Titans' attempt to replace Pandya. He suggested that Umesh Yadav and Shahrukh Khan could collectively fill Pandya's shoes.

"I thought their auction was really interesting. I felt they tried to replace Hardik Pandya through using that vehicle of the Impact Player," Moody said. "The way I think they have looked at it is Umesh Yadav is the bowling overs that Hardik Pandya provided the team."

While doubters question if the Titans successfully addressed Pandya's void, time will tell if their unique combination of players can step up to the challenge.