As questions were being raised about Williamson’s future as a T20I cricketer, the defending champions Gujarat Titans pounced on him at the start of Friday’s IPL players auction.
Sunrisers Hyderabad have parted ways with Kane Williamson after retaining him as captain for the 2022 edition of the Indian Premier League. As questions were being raised about Williamson’s future as a T20I cricketer, defending champions Gujarat and his Titans pounced on him at the start of Friday’s auction for his IPL player.
Titans head coach Ashish Nehra explained the reasons for Williamson’s addition in a casual chat with a group of journalists after the auction closed.
How did Titans’ first mini-he plan to fill the void at auction?
First you need to check how much money you have. Then you won’t be able to get every first choice player at the auction table. I was lucky enough to have more or less of them and still have some money left over.I knew from the beginning that I wouldn’t be able to hire Cameron Green or Sam Curran because they would be too expensive. I’m glad we were able to fill the needed spot. I was really pleasantly surprised to get Kane Williamson for such a low price. What does Kane Williamson bring to the team?
Experience first. He is a proven player. He has struggled with elbow problems for the last few seasons and didn’t perform well last season. But of course, T20 teams tend to think differently, given the fast pace of the game. But for us, believing in him, we would have asked him for a higher amount.You need a combination of experience and youth. Kane Williamson brings a lot to every team, not just GT. This is also available at the basic rate.
Do you think he is a full member of XI? Yes of course. Someone like Kane Williamson, you’re looking for number three.
Saisdarsan, who placed her third in last year’s test, has had an exceptional record in the national competition so far. How hard will it be for him to make way for Williamson?
It’s hard for any player, but young people like Sudharsan still have a long way to go. Having Williamson on the team will help him a lot. He didn’t play every game last year either, but imagine how much Sudharsan will study while working with Williamson. Every player has to wait for their chance and Sudharsan knows it. Almost everyone had a chance last year with injuries. Even players like Darshan Nalkande and Pradeep Sangwan got game time and they did really well. That’s what GT is all about, and many players excel at every opportunity they’re given.
Will the addition of Williamson see Hardik Pandya move into the finisher role after many anchors last season?
Hardik had three at-bats last year, he only had one, and otherwise he had four. There is so much time left before the IPL starts that I can’t think of anything further ahead. I’ll call you right before the tournament, but I don’t think Hardyk will beat the order. And I feel like there is no such thing as a finisher. If you are ready and hit well, you are expected to finish the game. Even openers can be finishers.
Does the addition of Bharat as a K.S. backup goalkeeper indicate there is a clear succession plan for Wriddhiman Saha?
I’ve always believed that age is just a number, so Saha continues to be my number one choice, but I still need a strong backup in case of injury. We have Matthew Wade, but he’s a foreigner, so we needed an Indian goalkeeper. Saha from He’s 38 Even if he were 28 instead of 39, we would still be looking at an Indian goalkeeper. And I don’t see anyone more experienced than K.S. Bharat. He has experience playing franchise his cricket, domestic cricket and India A so we were lucky to have him.
Prior to the auction, you pointed out the need for a quality pacemaker. How does Shivam Mavi fit into this role?
Not only Mavi, but also Joshua Little. Because for the price I got Kane Williamson, I could go with Joshua. A small auction saw Shivam Mavi among the top three bowlers. Another man was Mukesh Kumar who also made a fortune. Mavi is an aspiring young man. We will try to give him as many chances as possible and support him. If he does well, if we can help him, that’s good for Indian cricket and he’s looking forward to working with Mavi and Joshua Little.