Gujarat Titans’ middle order struggled, they must rebuild at IPL 2026 auction: Matthew Hayden

Former Australian batter Matthew Hayden pointed out that the Gujarat Titans’ (GT) main concern lies in their fragile middle order and excessive reliance on their top-order batters. Hayden highlighted that GT’s over-dependence on openers Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan was a major weakness during the IPL 2025 season.

While praising their strong top-order, he noted that the middle order failed to deliver consistently, with only Jos Buttler showing reliability. Hayden suggested that GT should consider releasing underperforming players in the upcoming mini-auction and focus on rebuilding their middle order to restore balance.

“Gujarat Titans have a fantastic top order with captain Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan, who were the highest-scoring opening pair last season. However, their middle order struggled heavily, with only Jos Buttler performing consistently. This over-reliance on their openers became a clear weakness. In the mini-auction, GT should release underperforming players and those who didn’t get opportunities to rebuild their middle order effectively,” said Hayden in JioHotstar.

GT enjoyed a strong IPL 2025 campaign, finishing third in the league stage with nine wins in 14 matches to qualify for the playoffs for the third time in four seasons. However, their journey ended in the Eliminator, where they suffered a defeat against the Mumbai Indians (MI). Much of GT’s success was driven by the brilliance of their young Indian openers, who consistently provided strong starts throughout the tournament.

Sudharsan emerged as the standout performer, topping the run charts with 759 runs, while skipper Gill followed closely with 650 runs. Buttler also made valuable contributions, scoring 538 runs during the season. On the bowling front, GT impressed once again as pacer Prasidh Krishna claimed 25 wickets in 15 games, earning the Purple Cap. Left-arm spinner Sai Kishore also delivered key performances, picking up 19 wickets in 15 matches.

Heading into IPL 2026, GT are expected to free up budget space by releasing underperforming players and focus on strengthening their middle order to achieve a more balanced squad.