Matthew Wade won’t be playing in Gujarat Titans opening game of the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL) because he’s chosen to prioritize participating in the Sheffield Shield final instead.
Gujarat Titans will be starting their IPL 2024 campaign without their wicket-keeper batter Matthew Wade, the Australian batsman, as he opts to play in the Sheffield Shield final for Tasmania. Tasmania is set for the final and is in the running to host the title decider. They are vying for their first Shield title since 2012-13, and Wade is eager to secure his first Shield title with Tasmania. Despite winning four Shield titles during his decade with Victoria, Wade is now determined to clinch the trophy with his current team.
Wade has been associated with the Titans since their debut in the 2022 IPL season. In 2022, he featured in 10 matches, tallying 157 runs at an average of 15.70 and a strike rate of 113.77. Unfortunately, he didn’t get a chance to play in the tournament last year. While the Titans claimed the IPL title in 2022, they ended up as runners-up in the 2023 season after a closely contested final against the Chennai Super Kings at home.
The Shield final is slated to take place from March 21 to 25, causing Wade to potentially miss only the first game for Gujarat Titans against Mumbai Indians on March 25. Although he is expected to join the Titans camp before the second game against Chennai Super Kings on March 27, there’s a possibility he might miss that match as well.
“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 told reporters in Hobart
After completing the three-match T20I series in New Zealand, he made a comeback to Australia and joined Tasmania. In a departure from his usual role, the left-handed batsman took on the opening position for the first time in his Shield career and scored 32 and 5 in a face-off against his former team, Victoria.
Looking ahead, Wade, who has occasionally captained the Australian T20 team, is poised to play a significant role for Gujarat in the upcoming season. While he didn’t find much success in the top order during IPL 2022, his track record in the lower order for the national team has been commendable. With established finishers like David Miller and Rahul Tewatia in the squad, adding Wade could substantially bolster Gujarat’s batting lineup.
In a significant development, Gujarat Titans are embarking on a new journey in the upcoming edition of the IPL. Following Hardik Pandya’s return to the Mumbai Indians, Shubman Gill will be taking the reins as the captain for IPL 2024.
