Will Gujarat Titans Really Go for Axar Patel in IPL 2026?

The Indian Premier League 2026 edition is now looming closer. Before that, fans might see some big changes. Axar Patel recently said that he wants to play for Gujarat in the IPL. Whether this will be possible in the upcoming season remains a big question.

Axar Patel, the captain of Delhi Capitals, might be looking forward to some new options in the IPL 2026 edition. Recently, in an interview, Axar Patel was asked about the teams for which he wants to play in the IPL. To this, by saying that he wants to play for Gujarat in the biggest T20 league.

And it definitely makes sense, as Gujarat is the home state of Axar Patel. If he gets a chance to play for the Gujarat Titans in the IPL, it would surely be one he doesn't want to miss. But the question is, will the Gujarat Titans really go for him for the IPL 2026 season?

1. Axar Patel's Form in IPL 2025

Over the past few months, Axar Patel has established himself as a crucial all-rounder for the Indian team. This further helped him to get his maiden call-up as a captain in the Indian Premier League. After being the top retention for Delhi Capitals in the 2025 season, he was also announced as the captain of the team.

Under his captaincy, Delhi Capitals finished just one spot behind the playoffs, at the 5th position. With 7 wins and 6 losses in 14 games, Axar Patel showcased that his captaincy shall not be underestimated. At the start of the tournament, he even led Delhi to the top of the table for a while.

With his team finishing in the 5th spot, Axar also played a crucial role with both bat and ball. Coming down the order, he was able to maintain the team's scoring rate and help them in the middle overs. Maintaining his strike rate above 150, he was able to help the team reach a competitive total.

Axar Patel in IPL (Batting):

• Innings: 124
• Not Out: 37
• Runs: 1916
• Average: 22.02
• Strike Rate: 133.98
• 50s: 3

However, he was not able to consistently take wickets with the ball, grabbing just 5 wickets in 11 innings. His bowling averages dropped to 57.60 in the season. Despite being the team's captain, he gave more bowling opportunities to Kuldeep Yadav and even the young talents such as Vipraj Nigam.

2. Is Axar Patel a Must for Gujarat Titans?

With Axar Patel making a statement that he wants to play for the Gujarat Titans, the question is whether he is a must for the team or not. The Gujarat Titans have been among the top teams in the IPL till now, as they made it to the Eliminator stage last season. Despite not having an experienced captain, Gujarat was able to boost its squad.

For the Gujarat Titans, the spin department is being led by star players such as Sai Kishore, Washington Sundar, and Rashid Khan. These three players have been the consignee wicket takers for the team, and the inclusion of Rashid Khan brings more experience.

But, it should be noted that Sai Kishore and Washington Sundar do not have much experience in the T20 format. If the Gujarat Titans are willing to add some experience to their spin department, Axar Patel would be the perfect choice for the team.

Since he has already played with Shubman Gill in the Indian cricket team, it will further help to add synergy to the team. Along with that, the Gujarat Titans would possibly get their vice-captain for the IPL 2026 season if they get a deal with the Delhi Capitals for the same.