3 reasons why Mohit Sharma is GT's most important weapon for IPL 2024

Gujarat Titans (GT) started their campaign on a high note when they defeated five-time champions Mumbai Indians (MI) in the fifth match of Indian Premier League (IPL) season 17.

GT successfully defended a score of 168, and Mohit Sharma led the bowling attack. The pacer from Haryana has been a force to reckon with since last season and didn’t disappoint anyone, as he took two important wickets by dismissing Tim David and Dewald Brevis, guiding GT to a victory in their tournament opener.

Mohit Sharma didn’t have an IPL contract in 2021 and 2022, but he bounced back in 2023, finishing second in the purple cap list with 27 wickets. He was only behind his teammate Mohammed Shami, who picked up 28 wickets. Mohit Sharma has started well again and will have more responsibility this season as GT are without their prime bowler Mohammed Shami, who was ruled out due to an injury.

As the Gujarat Titans prepare to take on the Chennai Super Kings in their second league match, captain Shubman Gill will be hoping that the pacer continues his good form. On that note, in this article, we will talk about the reasons why Mohit Sharma is GT’s most important weapon in IPL 2024.

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#1 - The GT pacer can bowl well in death overs

One of the major reasons behind Gujarat’s success last season was their bowlers' prowess in the death overs, a department that was handled very well by Mohit Sharma.

The veteran took 27 wickets last season, 14 of which came in death overs (16-20). In the previous season, he had a decent economy of 8.76 in death overs.

Mohit Sharma has started well this season as he showed his class against Mumbai Indians, and GT fans will be hoping for the pacer to continue his good form while continuing to trouble the batters with his slow deliveries and cutters.

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#2 - He’s high on confidence, coming after a successful last season

Mohit Sharma won the Purple Cap in IPL 2014 and then continued to play for some franchises in the coming seasons. However, the Haryana pacer had a rough time when he wasn’t picked in the IPL in 2021 and 2022. Mohit was a net bowler for GT in 2022, and later in the 2023 auction, he was picked up by the same franchise before he showcased his skills that year.

GT lost the final to Chennai Super Kings, but Mohit Sharma had a season to remember; from being a net bowler in IPL 2022 to finishing as the second most successful bowler in the following season, it was a great feat to achieve.

The seasoned pro can become the GT's most important weapon this season, as he’s high on confidence and has decent performances to his name.

Mohit will have to contribute more this season in the absence of Mohammed Shami and will be looking to enjoy this challenge, and as he showed in the game against MI, he still has a lot more to offer the franchise.

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#3 - Mohit Sharma has rich experience in T20 cricket and knows how to handle pressure

Mohit Sharma played for the Indian team in the 2014 T20 World Cup. The 35-year-old has more than 100 matches of IPL experience under his belt. Mohit has played 101 matches and has 121 wickets to his name.

The GT pacer has been playing T20s for a decade and knows how to perform under pressure, as he showed in Qualifier 2 against MI in the IPL 2023. In the all-important match, Mohit registered his maiden IPL fifer and was an instrumental part of the team.

Meanwhile, the IPL 2024 has just begun, and Mohit has already impressed with his performance in the first match, showing promise in Shami’s absence. As the season continues, Sharma will be looking to perform well with the bowl and bring glory to the Gujarat-based franchise.