Jos Buttler won’t be around for the knockout stages, which could be tough for the Gujarat Titans’ middle order. But assistant coach Matthew Wade thinks this might be a good chance for other players to step up and make a difference. The top three batters for GT—Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill, and Buttler—have been key for the team, each scoring over 500 runs this season. With Buttler heading off to play for his national team after the last league game against Chennai Super Kings on May 25, they’ll miss his contributions in the playoffs.
“We’re not worried about it, Wade said in a press conference. “The guys are in great form, and we know they’ll handle their roles well.” He added that it’d be great if the top three could keep scoring most of the runs. Once Buttler leaves, they’ll need someone to step in and fill his spot. Wade is confident that when opportunities come, the players will make an impact, just like they have over the past few weeks.
Wade, who has won a T20 World Cup with Australia and played 12 IPL games for GT, mentioned that while it’s tough to simulate real game situations in practice, they’re doing their best to prepare the middle-order batters. “The good thing is that Sherfane Rutherford, Shahrukh Khan, and guys like Rahul Tewatia have done well when they’ve played. They just haven’t had too many chances lately,” he said.
GT is at the top of the table and will next face Lucknow Super Giants, a team that’s already out of the playoff race. Wade pointed out that sometimes teams whose seasons are over can become more dangerous, as they tend to play a bit looser and can finish strong.
