IPL 2026: GT should release Kagiso Rabada and target these three players ahead of auction

Gujarat Titans (GT) have been one of the most consistent teams in recent IPL seasons. The franchise made a dream debut by winning the IPL 2022 title under Hardik Pandya’s leadership, defeating Rajasthan Royals (RR) in the final. Since then, GT has remained a strong unit. In IPL 2025, under the captaincy of Shubman Gill, the GT once again put up a commendable performance, finishing fourth after losing to Mumbai Indians (MI) in the Eliminator.

Despite their strong campaign, they narrowly missed out on a spot in the finals. Their bowling attack, featuring Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna, was impressive for most of the season. However, South African pacer Kagiso Rabada’s underwhelming form stood out as a weak link. With his performances not justifying his hefty price tag, GT might consider releasing him ahead of the IPL 2026 auction. To fill his shoes, they could look toward fresh and promising overseas pacers. Here are three players GT could target in the next auction.

Here are 3 potential replacements GT must look at for Kagiso Rabada

Will O’Rourke

New Zealand pacer Will O’Rourke made his IPL debut in 2025 as a temporary replacement for Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). Despite limited opportunities, the right arm-pacer has showcased good pace and control.

He also enjoyed a decent first tour to India, where the hosts were whitewashed 3-0 for the first time after 12 years. O’Rourke will be eager to prove himself in the next season of the IPL. He is over six feet tall, and uses his height effectively to extract bounce, troubling batters on any surface. His ability to bowl hard lengths and maintain consistency makes him an ideal fit for GT’s bowling unit.

Ben Sears

Another quick from the BlackCaps, Ben Sears, has been steadily making a name for himself in international T20s. With 23 wickets in T20Is for New Zealand and a reputation for maintaining a tidy economy rate, Sears could be a smart investment for GT.

The pairing up with Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna would give the franchise one of the most formidable pace attacks in the league.

Blessing Muzarabani

Zimbabwe’s tall pacer Blessing Muzarabani could be a like-for-like replacement for Rabada. At 6’8”, he can generate steep bounce and troubling angles for batters. He has shown some considerable amount of decency with the ball over the last couple of years for the Chevrons. As a result, Muzarabani should be ready to prove his worth in the biggest cricketing league in the world.

Though he did not get a game for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in IPL 2025, his raw pace and height could be valuable on Indian pitches. Muzarabani’s accuracy and bounce could make him a surprise package for GT in IPL 2026.