IPL 2022 Auction: 3 opening combinations for Gujarat Titans

Latest entrants into the competition Gujarat Titans will feel they have built a competitive team during the IPL 2022 Auction. Leading up to the mega event, the side drafted Shubman Gill, Hardik Pandya, and Rashid Khan as their picks.

They then completed a squad comprising of 23 players at the auction. One of the things the think-tank will be proud of is their opening combination heading into the tournament.

With Gill slated to be one of the constants to open the innings, we look at the potential combinations Gujarat Titans can explore.

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#1 Shubman Gill and Jason Roy will be Gujarat Titans' preferred opening combination

Jason Roy's swashbuckling starts for England in T20Is makes him the ideal candidate to walk out against Gill in IPL 2022. The hard-hitting batter has played in the IPL for the Gujarat Lions, Delhi Capitals and Sunrisers Hyderabad.

Roy has played 13 games, notching up 329 runs at an average of 29.91 and a strike rate of 129.02 with two half-centuries to show for. His explosive batting, coupled with Gill's finesse and strokeplay, make them the ideal pair to open the innings.

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#2 Wriddhiman Saha and Shubman Gill

Wriddhiman Saha is no stranger to opening the IPL and has done so during his stints with the Sunrisers Hyderabad. A veteran with 133 IPL games, the Bengal gloveman has scored 2110 runs at an average of 24.53 and a strike rate of 128.74.

His attacking approach yields well for the Gujarat Titans in the powerplay, giving Gill the platform to play through the innings.

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#3 Jason Roy and Wriddhiman Saha

It is highly unlikely but there is a possibility that Gujarat Titans will move Saha up the order if Gill suffers an injury during the season.

The gameplan will change then as well with one of these batters required to play for at least the first half of the innings. This is so that the likes of Hardik Pandya, Rahul Tewatia, Vijay Shankar and Abhinav Sadrangani can tee off and finish the final overs with a flourish.