Gujarat Titans' Bowling Is A Force To Reckon With

Hardik Pandya-led Gujarat Titans have a terrific bowling lineup suited for the Mumbai & Pune conditions in IPL 2022.

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Gujarat Titans' squad isn't perfect, none of the IPL franchises are, in the IPL 2022. Each team has its flaws and loopholes. At the same time, each team has something that other doesn't. For Gujarat, it's their bowling. 

IPL 2022 is being played in Maharashtra - Mumbai & Pune. Mumbai has three venues while one venue is being used in Pune. The common thing about all four venues is the assistance for pacers. 

Fast bowlers are enjoying early movement with the ball, pace, and bounce on the pitch. IPL 2022 Auction saw franchises spending a huge amount of money on fast bowlers. They knew what was coming and now we know as well. 

A day after the Auction finished, Gujarat Titans looked pretty ordinary on paper but their first two matches of the season tell a different story. 

While it is true that GT doesn't have enough backup options and it is a long tournament to expose that, the first choice XI players are very exciting to watch. 

Titans are coming into the field with four pacers and all four can bowl above 135 kmph - yes, Hardik Pandya included. The four pacers are followed by a leg spinner, probably the world's best T20 spinner, Rashid Khan. 

Mohammad Shami - is the perfect bowler to make use of the new ball. Shami is the test match specialist, bowls test lengths - consistently hitting good and back of the length delivery that can move in & out and is directed towards the stump line. 

Next comes Lockie Ferguson - He consistently clocks speeds above 140 kmph. He is the perfect man to extract pace and bounce off the surface. Ferguson is an all-phase bowler. His high pace is tough to hit. The perfect middle over enforcer. 

Varun Aaron - While everyone had written him off, Aaron has been backed by Gujarat to be in the first-choice XI and he hasn't disappointed them. While there are concerns regarding his consistency, Aaron's speed will make the opponent think. 

Hardik Pandya - The star Indian-allrounder too was being written off before the start of the season. Pandya has been struggling with fitness for the last two years and didn't bowl in the previous two IPL seasons. 

Every time during the build of the IPL 2022 he was asked about his bowling, Pandya said it'll be a surprise and he was right. In the first match, Pandya consistently clocked between 135-140 kmph. There were no concerns regarding his line & length control but the bowling speed was impressive. 

Pandya came to bowl in the 7th over in the first match but after gaining the confidence of ticking all the boxes - line, length, speed - the Gujarat Titans captain decided to share the new ball with Shami in the second match, and guess what? he got Tim Seifert out on the first ball. Pandya clocked over 140 kmph on several occasions throughout his four overs. 

Rashid Khan - There is no introduction needed for probably the best T20 spinner in the world. 

The opponents have no time to breathe while facing these five Gujarat bowlers. Whenever they'll play GT, first the batters will go through Mohammad Shami's new ball. Then they will need to face the pace of Varun Aaron and Lockie Ferguson. Pandya's control. Then Rashid Khan. 

The bowling lineup gives Pandya the liberty to attack and keep the pressure going. If the game is getting deep, then he gives Rahul Tewatia - another leg-spin option - to sneak an over or two. For example, during the match vs Delhi Capitals, Pandya went full offensive to bowl out Ferguson, Shami, and himself before the last over. 

Tewatia and Vijay Shankar bowled three overs to cover Aaron's overs, who got injured and didn't bowl after his first over. 

There's simply nothing a batter can do about it. Yes, there will be off days for this bowling lineup but on most days, it'll get Gujarat into an advantageous position. If the batting clicks for GT, there is no stopping for this team to finish in the top four.