IPL Trade: Washington Sundar set for bigger role at GT; Sherfane Rutherford released

NEW DELHI: Shubman Gill-led Gujarat Titans (GT) are apt to beryllium 1 of the slightest progressive franchises successful the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) auction, scheduled for adjacent period successful Abu Dhabi, UAE.TimesofIndia.com has learnt that skipper Gill and caput manager Ashish Nehra person decided that they privation their halfway intact for IPL 2026. The lone large improvement astatine GT is that the squad absorption has decided to springiness all-rounder Washington Sundar a bigger role, starting adjacent season, and it could good spot him regularly bat astatine No.4.

The 26-year-old was roped successful by GT for Rs 3.2 crore but managed to play lone six matches. The ‘Impact Player’ regularisation has hampered Washington’s maturation successful the past 3 seasons, with opportunities fewer and acold between.

He had played lone 9 games for Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) crossed IPL 2023 and 2024.

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Washington Sundar’s stocks are astatine an all-time precocious close present and helium is among the fewer Indian cricketers who tin beryllium picked successful each 3 formats purely connected the ground of either batting oregon bowling.Recently, successful the white-ball bid successful Australia, helium featured successful each the ODIs and provided important breakthroughs. But it was his T20I batting successful the 3rd lucifer astatine Hobart, wherever the southpaw smoked an unbeaten 49 disconnected 23 balls, which caught everyone by surprise.

The Indian squad absorption has already identified him arsenic 1 of the fewer players being considered arsenic an automatic prime successful each 3 formats.Recognising his potential, GT acted promptly by declining Chennai Super Kings’ (CSK) petition for a Washington Sundar trade, including an all-cash offer.With Shubman Gill, Sai Sudharsan and Jos Buttler, GT’s apical 3 is settled and Sundar could good lick the No. 4 problem.

With Rutherford already traded, GT are going to look for immoderate middle-order options and a speedy astatine the mini-auction.

With the frontline seamers expected to beryllium retained, a seamer - either Indian oregon overseas - is connected their wishlist. There volition beryllium a fistful of releases and they volition diagnostic the uncapped Indian players.TimesofIndia.com has learnt that

Glenn Phillips

continues to beryllium successful their premix and they person a relation identified for the Kiwi. Phillips was signed by the Titans for Rs 2 crore but was ruled retired of the play owed to a groin wounded helium sustained arsenic a substitute fielder against Sunrisers Hyderabad connected April 6, 2025.