This goal of finding a suitable allrounder in the newly formed Gujarat Titans franchise seems complete with the entrance of Tamil Nadu All rounder Shah Rukh Khan. Shah Rukh Khan who made his List A debut on 27th February 2014 for Tamil Nadu in the 2013-14 season for Vijay Hazare trophy and Ranji Debut in 2018 -19 season on December 6th 2018 rose to fame after he was part of the Tamil Nadu side that went unbeaten all season on their way to winning the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy in 2021. Shah Rukh Khan contributed an unbeaten 40 from 19 balls in the Quarter Final vs Himachal Pradesh.
Gujarat Titans(GT) who always have believed in having trust in the process and in terms giving chance to the mixture of youth and experience within their team consistently performed well in the IPL winning it in their first year of inception 2022 and reaching the final in the subsequent finals in 2023.
The introduction of TNPL gave Shah Rukh Khan a new lease of life and Shahrukh was picked by the Trichy franchise and he had a tournament to forget. Dip in form saw the youngster slip away from the state selectors’ radar for quite sometime. However In the 2018 edition of the tournament, Shahrukh honed his skills and compiled 325 runs in nine games for a new franchise – the Kovai Kings and it paved the way for his comeback into the Tamil Nadu side
Shahrukh made a name for himself as a finisher in the domestic circuit, bashing bowlers for fun. Shahrukh credits the role of Dinesh Karthik in molding him as a finisher, and improving his application towards the game. He got his big break in the IPL in 2021, when he was picked by Punjab Kings for a handy fee. Shahrukh had a decent first season with them, winning a game against Kolkata Knight Riders with a late cameo.
In the later season, Shahrukh was released for the mega auction, but bought back by Punjab Kings for an even more high price. A reason behind this increased markup could be because Shahrukh Khan smashed a last ball six in the final of the Syed Mushtaq Ali trophy final between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. Nevertheless, Shah Rukh Khan had a fairly timid performance in IPL 2022 and his form has dipped a bit post the IPL as well when he turned up to play for his domestic sides.
I think batting at No.5 or No.6 would be great – Shah Rukh Khan
Shahrukh Khan was roped in by the Gujarat Titans (GT) at the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL) mini-auction in Dubai on Tuesday.
The new stint comes at a perfect time for Shah Rukh Khan, who is desperately looking for a reboot after an underwhelming year. Punjab Kings (PBKS), who had shelled out ₹9 crore for the hard-hitting batter at the 2022 mega-auction, released him following a couple of underwhelming seasons for the franchise.
Shah Rukh Khan came into the mini-auction as one of the biggest names in the uncapped category, and along expected lines, there was a bidding war for him. PBKS were interested in bringing the player back for a cheaper sum, but the purse-heavy Gujarat Titans showed their dominance to have him for a sum of ₹7.4 crore.
Post his selection by the Gujarat Titans (GT) Shah Rukh Khan expressed his views by saying:
“The way Gujarat have backed players, I will be comfortable. I will be playing at No. 6 or 7. I have been a fan of Miller; he is a guy who comes in and wins big games. The way he has played for South Africa and GT… he is calm under pressure and that is what I will try to emulate,”
Going further he also added:
“Dinesh Karthik used me as a finisher for the first time at TN. He told me that finishers cannot look at their individual scores. I think that batting at No. 5 or 6 will be great, but I am ready for any role. In the TNPL and Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, I have played up the order. I have been bowling well in the TNPL and that can be an add-on,”
The right-handed batter has shown glimpses of his ability in the IPL in terms of hard-hitting but has been unable to maintain consistency. In the 2022 season, Shahrukh Khan struggled immensely in the bounce-friendly venues in Maharashtra and managed only 117 runs at a strike rate of 108.33.
His fortunes did not fare any better upon the return of the home-and-away format, leading to his release.
He also accepts the same and accepted the fact that he struggled against the bowlers who threw 140 km per hour leading to his non performances .
“When I came in, I struggled facing bowlers who bowled 140 km per hour. I have been working on that. I have also been working on playing left-arm spinners and leg spinners better,” he concluded.
Shahrukh will fit right into the Gujarat Titans playing XI as they look to continue their life following the departure of Hardik Pandya The franchise will now be led by Shubman Gill and hopes for a better IPL season.