Gujarat Titans may be slightly concerned at this point of time after Mohammed Shami’s heroics on his comeback. After being on the sidelines for nearly a year due to injury, the veteran returned to competitive cricket in Bengal’s Ranji Trophy game against Madhya Pradesh. He announced his comeback in style as he bagged four wickets. This leads us to a very pertinent question – did GT do the right thing by releasing Shami ahead of IPL 2025 auction?
Did GT make a mistake in releasing Shami ahead of IPL 2025 auction?
Shami’s services were acquired by Gujarat Titans before IPL 2022 and he went on to become one the most consistent bowlers for the side. In total, he has picked 48 wickets for GT across two seasons. He was forced to sit out of IPL 2024 due to his ankle injury. Overall, the veteran pacer has played 110 matches and has bagged 127 wickets, averaging 26.86 in IPL.
Matches | 110 |
Wickets | 127 |
Average | 26.86 |
Economy | 8.43 |
Best season | IPL 2023 (28 wickets) |
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GT missed Shami’s services dearly in IPL 2024 as he was one of their most reliable bowlers. He emerged as the team’s highest wicket-taker in 2023 when he bagged 28 wickets in the season. GT will now have to hunt for an experienced pacer in the IPL 2025 auction. Mohit Sharma, another veteran pacer, has also been released. The likes of Umesh Yadav and Karthik Tyagi have also been released, leaving the team with no pacers at all currently.
Shami has had a history of injuries but that hasn’t impacted his performances in white-ball cricket. The veteran played the ODI World Cup in 2023 while carrying an injury and only chose to be on the sidelines after the conclusion of the tournament. Following his successful return to competitive cricket, GT will be forced to scratch their heads on if releasing Shami was the right decision indeed.