IPL 2026 auction: Is Cameron Green the ‘Hardik Pandya replacement’ Gujarat Titans have been looking for?

Gujarat Titans (GT) were flying high. Champions in their maiden Indian Premier League (IPL) season in 2022 and finalists in 2023. With Hardik Pandya at the helm, everything seemed to be going right. The Titans looked set to break the duopoly of the Mumbai Indians (MI) and the Chennai Super Kings (CSK).

But tragedy struck. After just two years, Hardik bid the franchise adieu. He returned to his IPL home. As expected, his absence affected the Titans. From topping the points table in the last two seasons, they finished 8th with just 5 wins from 12 matches.

The mega auction in 2024 helped them rebuild, and they reached the IPL 2025 playoffs but the hole that Hardik’s departure left hasn’t been filled. Shubman Gill became captain and has done well. But Hardik wasn’t just GT’s skipper.

How Hardik Pandya’s batting was important for GT

He is one of a kind. A pace-bowling Indian all-rounder. When Hardik came to Gujarat, he changed his role from a finisher to an anchor. All of his innings for them came at number three or four. His strike rate dipped, but that was the job. He bowled in the powerplay when needed and became a death bowler when required.

Hardik was the jack of all trades. That’s partly why GT did so well. There aren’t many who can do what he did. The 2022 champions have a good bowling lineup, but apart from Gill, Sai Sudharsan, and Jos Buttler, they don’t have any trusted batters.

Now, Hardik bowled only 55.3 overs for GT in two seasons. In comparison, he’s bowled 71 overs for MI in 2024 and 2025. Gujarat needed his batting more than his bowling. During his 2-year stint, only Gill scored more runs than Hardik. That’s the case even now. But that doesn’t mean bowling’s irrelevant.

Hardik Pandya’s IPL batting stats for GT

Romario Shepherd and Andre Russell might be the only two pace-bowling all-rounders who can come anywhere near Hardik. Neither the Royal Challengers Bengaluru nor the Kolkata Knight Riders will release either of them. But they lack the versatility that he has with ball and bat. There is only one player who can actually fill the role GT wants. And that’s Cameron Green.

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Cameron Green, the missing piece in GT’s puzzle

The Australian all-rounder wasn’t available in the IPL 2025 mega auction due to an injury, but he’ll be available this time around. The 26-year-old has already earned INR 17.50 crore twice. So, the price tag pressure won’t get to him. And he’s grown exponentially as a T20 player in the last couple of years.

Green’s batting strike rate is over 150, all the while averaging nearly 40 in the last two years. This alone makes him one of the most sought-after players in the IPL 2026 auction. Add his bowling to this, and he’s likely to be the most expensive pick. He delivers 2 overs a match and has taken 17 wickets at a 16.4 bowling strike rate.

Green can be a perfect number four for GT. He can anchor if need be and then go into a destructive mode as well. His inclusion would allow Gill and Sudharsan to start more aggressively instead of fearing the lack of quality batters left. And he can be used in the powerplay and middle overs with the ball. He can share the load when someone else is struggling and bowl his quota on his day.

Cameron Green T20 stats since 2024

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