New Delhi, Nov 16 (NationPress) The assistant coach of Gujarat Titans, Parthiv Patel, elaborated on the thought process and strategy behind the IPL 2026 retention plan. He emphasized insights gained from discussions with captain Shubman Gill and the coaching staff, stating that the skipper is very assertive in his thinking, a quality that plays a crucial role in squad development.

GT has retained their core team and made the decision to release Dasun Shanaka, Mahipal Lomror, Karim Janat, Gerald Coetzee, and Kulwant Khejroliya, while trading Sherfane Rutherford to the Mumbai Indians.

While discussing the team’s strategic approach during JioStar’s IPL 2026 ‘Retention Special’ show, Parthiv remarked, “The squad we built last year was solid, and it’s essential for us to maintain continuity, which is exactly what we aimed to do. Unfortunately, we didn’t go all the way, and that’s why we chose not to release many players.”

“However, we must also create opportunities for young talents to join, which is why we released Sherfane Rutherford and Gerald Coetzee, who haven’t played extensively since the IPL concluded. The emergence of Washington Sundar last year was also a factor in our decision to move on from Rutherford,” he further explained.

On the subject of his discussions with Captain Gill, the former Indian cricketer said, “The process of retaining or releasing players is not instantaneous. We evaluate numerous combinations and eventually reach a decision. I have had the privilege of closely observing Shubman’s evolution as a captain, particularly in his leadership during the England tour and in one-day cricket. His assertive nature in decision-making is invaluable for squad formation.”

Parthiv expressed confidence in the team’s stability, stating, “We have let go of a few young players, but our squad remains robust and settled, which is why we haven’t released many.”

The team is set to focus on enhancing their overseas lineup as they prepare for the IPL 2026 auction next month. With a number of overseas players released, GT aims to revitalize that segment for their bid for a second championship title.

“That’s certainly on our agenda. We have several promising young players like Nishant Sindhu, Gurnoor Brar, Kumar Kushagra, and Anuj Rawat who are consistently performing well. This gives us the flexibility to operate with just two overseas players. We also feature established talents like Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill, Washington Sundar, Rahul Tewatia, and Shahrukh Khan.

“These players have significant IPL experience, which we have considered in our strategy. With three international players released, we will need to conduct thorough scouting once the final list is published,” Parthiv concluded.