In a significant development for the Gujarat Titans, their Australian wicketkeeper-batter Matthew Wade will be absent from the team's first match of the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 season. This decision comes as Wade opts to participate in the Sheffield Shield final, underscoring his commitment to his domestic team, Tasmania, which is slated to host the final from March 21-25. This scheduling conflict means Wade will miss the Titans' season opener against the Mumbai Indians on March 24.
"He's spoken with his IPL franchise and they're happy to allow him to stay here, which probably equates to him potentially missing their first game," Tasmania head coach Jeff Vaughan said.
"We feel very fortunate to have someone of Matt's ilk coming back into our group, and his experience and his performances at the back end of our season," he added.
Wade could miss the second match as well
The implications of the Sheffield Shield final potentially stretching to its last day are considerable. Should this occur, Wade's availability for Gujarat Titans' second match also becomes doubtful. This next game, scheduled for March 26, pits the Titans against the reigning champions, the Chennai Super Kings, adding another layer of challenge to the team's early-season campaign.
Wade was an integral part of GT's title-winning team in 2022
Matthew Wade's involvement with the Gujarat Titans dates back to their debut season in 2022, where he played a role in their championship-winning campaign, albeit not as their primary wicketkeeper. In that campaign, Wade scored 157 runs in 10 matches at a sub-par strike rate of 113.77.
In the 2023 campaign, Wade didn't play even a single matches for the Gujarat Titans.
Wade's absence in the initial games of IPL 2024 marks a notable development for the Gujarat Titans. As they prepare to navigate the start of the season without one of their experienced players, the team's depth and adaptability will be tested.
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