IPL 2026 auction concluded recently, with teams like Gujarat Titans (GT) making calculated moves to bolster their line-ups ahead of the upcoming season. GT entered with a substantial purse of ₹125 crore, spending ₹123.05 crore on a balanced 25-player squad featuring seven overseas talents. This mini-auction phase highlighted GT’s focus on retaining proven performers while targeting value buys to address depth issues from prior campaigns.​
Gujarat Titans’ intelligent core retentions
Gujarat Titans showcased auction savvy by prioritizing retentions of their high-impact core, ensuring leadership and firepower remained intact. Captain Shubman Gill headlines the retained Indian contingent at ₹16.50 crore, backed by Rashid Khan (₹18.00 crore), the Afghan spinner renowned for match-winning economy rates under pressure. Explosive opener Jos Buttler commands ₹15.75 crore, bringing white-ball mastery with over 4,000 IPL runs, while pace spearhead Mohammed Siraj (₹12.25 crore) and South African express Kagiso Rabada (₹10.75 crore) form a lethal bowling attack capable of dismantling top orders on any surface.​
Sai Sudharsan (₹8.50 crore) provides elegant top-order stability, complementing Gill’s aggression, as GT builds on their 2022 title-winning blueprint. All-rounders like Rahul Tewatia (₹4.00 crore) and M Shahrukh Khan (₹4.00 crore) add finishing prowess, with Washington Sundar (₹3.20 crore) offering spin-batting utility. Domestic uncapped gems such as Sai Kishore (₹2.00 crore), Gurnoor Brar (₹1.30 crore), and Manav Suthar (₹0.30 crore) were locked in for spin depth and future potential, reflecting GT’s youth-investment philosophy. Overseas retentions like Glenn Phillips (₹2.00 crore) and Tom Banton (base ₹2.00 crore, sold at same) enhance middle-order flexibility, allowing GT to navigate overseas slot constraints effectively.​
These retentions left GT with ₹12.90 crore for auction day, enabling targeted splurges without overextending. Releases of players like Gerald Coetzee and Mahipal Lomror freed slots for fresh blood, signalling a refined strategy post a middling previous season where middle-order fragility cost them playoffs. GT’s management, led by franchise owner CVC Capital, emphasized balance—prioritizing express pace, spin variety, and power-hitting—positioning them as dark horses for IPL 2026.​
Also READ:Â IPL 2026 Auction: Full list of unsold players along with their base price
Salaries of GT Players in IPL 2026
Auction highlights included West Indies all-rounder Jason Holder‘s blockbuster acquisition for ₹7.00 crore (from ₹2.00 crore base), injecting raw pace, lower-order muscle, and death-over nous to GT’s arsenal. Prasidh Krishna bolstered the seam unit at ₹9.50 crore, his towering bounce suiting bouncy pitches. Lower down, value picks shone: Ashok Sharma (₹0.90 crore from ₹0.30 lakh base), Luke Wood (₹0.75 crore), Jayant Yadav (₹0.75 crore), and Ishant Sharma (₹0.75 crore) provide experienced backups.
| S.No. | Player | Sold Price (₹) |
| 1 | Rashid Khan | 18 crores |
| 2 | Shubman Gill | 16 crores 50 lakh |
| 3 | Jos Buttler | 15 crores 75 lakh |
| 4 | Mohammed Siraj | 12 crores 25 lakh |
| 5 | Kagiso Rabada | 10 crores 75 lakh |
| 6 | Prasidh Krishna | 9 crores 50 lakh |
| 7 | Sai Sudharsan | 8 crores 50 lakh |
| 8 | Jason Holder | 7 crores |
| 9 | M Shahrukh Khan | 4 crores |
| 10 | Rahul Tewatia | 4 crores |
| 11 | Washington Sundar | 3 crores 20 lakh |
| 12 | Tom Banton | 2 crores |
| 13 | Glenn Phillips | 2 crores |
| 14 | Sai Kishore | 2 crores |
| 15 | Gurnoor Brar | 1 crore 30 lakh |
| 16 | Arshad Khan | 1 crore 30 lakh |
| 17 | Ashok Sharma | 90 lakh |
| 18 | Luke Wood | 75 lakh |
| 19 | Jayant Yadav | 75 lakh |
| 20 | Ishant Sharma | 75 lakh |
| 21 | Kumar Kushagra | 65 lakh |
| 22 | Nishant Sindhu | 30 lakh |
| 23 | Manav Suthar | 30 lakh |
| 24 | Anuj Rawat | 30 lakh |
| 25 | Prithvi Raj | 30 lakh |
Also READ:Â IPL 2026 Auction: Complete list of sold players with their price
