Gujarat Titans have confirmed the signing of Afghanistan wicketkeeper Rahmanullah Gurbaz, who will replace the injured Jason Roy. The 26-year-old has played 20 T20 internationals and scored 534 runs, including three half-centuries. He has a strike rate of around 138 in T20 internationals and has been priced at 50 lakh rupees by the team.
The left-handed wicketkeeper-batsman has been a major disappointment in the recent past. He is a one-trick pony and has yet to score a century in T20Is. The right-handed opener has been in the Indian Premier League since 2013 and has a strike rate of 138 or better. But the Gujarat Titans have been worried about the ongoing injury to Wriddhiman Saha and have opted to sign Rahmanullah Gurbaz.
The Afghanistan wicketkeeper-batsman joins the Gujarat Titans for a base price of INR 50 lakh. He will be the third Afghanistan cricketer to feature in the TATA IPL 2022. The team will play Lucknow Super Giants in their opening game. A win will take the Gujarat Titans to the final. The team will be battling the Lucknow Super Giants in the second knockout game of the season.
The Afghan wicketkeeper-batter has played in the Caribbean Premier League, Bangladesh Premier League, and Sri Lankan Premier League and has a strike rate close to 138. He is the third Afghanistan cricketer to join the Titans. He will join Noor Ahmad and Rashid Khan. The team will face the Lucknow Super Giants on March 28 at Wankhede Stadium.
In addition to India, the Afghan wicketkeeper-batter has also played in the Caribbean Premier League, Bangladesh Premier League, and Sri Lankan Premier League. In addition to his international experience, Gurbaz has also played in the Caribbean Premier and the Pakistan Super. He also has played in T20 World Cups. The newcomer joins the team after the departure of former India batsman Jason Roy.
The Afghan wicketkeeper-batter is the first choice of the Gujarat Titans in the Tata IPL 2022. The team has acquired the services of Jason Roy after paying him INR 2 Crores during the mega auction last February. Both these players have excellent batting records and have a high strike rate. The Afghan opener batsman will make the team stronger and more versatile.
The 20-year-old Afghan has represented his country in the under-19 world cup and was the only player from the country to be selected for the IPL. He has also played in the ICC Champions Trophy and has reportedly received the green light to join the Indian Premier League. Despite his age, the addition of Gurbaz could be a significant boost for the Gujarat Titans' team.