Gujarat Titans, the defending champions, recently signed Kane Williamson – one of the top cricket players of this generation – for a whopping ₹2 crores in the IPL auction after Sunrisers Hyderabad released him. However, Kane Williamson suffered a knee injury in GT’s first match against Chennai Super Kings when he landed awkwardly on his right foot while attempting to save a few runs at the boundary rope. As a result, he was forced to miss the rest of the match and is expected to be off the field for an extended period.
Here we look at three players who can replace him in case he is ruled out:
1) Matthew Wade
Matthew Wade can potentially replace Kane Williamson as a powerful hitter that could open with Shubman Gill or Wriddhiman Saha and bat in any position based on the team’s demands. His successful closing for Australia and his major contribution to GT’s title win last season make him an obvious choice.
2) David Miller
Miller may just be the direct replacement for the injured batter in the T20 team playing XI. He was unavailable for the season opener as he was playing for his national team against the Netherlands to determine if they would directly qualify for the World Cup or have to play in qualifiers. At the Kotla, a wicket that is typically suitable for spin bowling, GT can play an extra spinner, like Sai Kishore. At the same time, Hardik Pandya can anchor the middle order, and the rest of the players can look to play aggressive cricket.
3) Sai Sudarshan
Sai Sudarshan, the Tamil Nadu batter, was the first player to be picked as an impact substitute in the Gujarat Titans lineup. He replaced Kane Williamson in the first innings and provided a much-needed boost with his 22 runs off 17 balls in the 179-run chase. His partnership with Gill was a key factor, and his like-for-like replacement of Williamson makes him an invaluable member of the team. With Ashish Nehra stressing the need for an anchor in the playing XI, his presence will enable the Titans to play an additional overseas player depending on the opposition and match conditions.