"Have improved our bench strength ahead of 2023 IPL" Shivam Mavi

AHMEDABAD: India and Gujarat Titans pacer Shivam Mavi said on Saturday that the defending Indian Premier League (IPL) champions had strengthened their bench strength ahead of the 2023 season of the league, which will start from March 31 onwards.

Ahead of IPL 2023 season, Mavi was speaking to the media during which he also talked about expectations from the side after they were crowned as champions in their debut season under the leadership of Hardik Pandya.

Mavi said that his side faces no pressure of massive expectations. "We are under no pressure.

Everyone in the team is aware of the role they are supposed to play. We have also improved our bench strength heading into the season," said Mavi to the media.

Gujarat Titans (GT) will start their IPL 2023 campaign against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on March 31, which also happens to be the tournament opener. They will be playing the match at their home arena, Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

In the previous season, Gujarat finished at the top of the points table with 20 points, with 10 wins and four losses. They booked a direct ticket to the final after a seven-wicket win over Rajasthan Royals in Qualifier 1.

In the final, Gujarat once again defeated Rajasthan by seven wickets.

Skipper Pandya (487 runs in 15 matches with four fifties, eight wickets), Shubman Gill (483 runs in 16 matches with four fifties), David Miller (481 runs in 16 matches with two fifties), Mohammed Shami (20 wickets), Rashid Khan (19 wickets) were some of GT's star performers in their debut season.

Gujarat Titans

Squad strength 25 players (Overseas 8)

Players bought - Kane Williamson (INR 2 crore), Odean Smith (INR 50 lakh), KS Bharat (INR 1.2 crore), Shivam Mavi (INR 6 crore), Urvil Patel (INR 20 lakh), Joshua Little (INR 4.4 crore), Mohit Sharma (INR 50 lakh).

Players retained - Hardik Pandya (c), Shubman Gill, David Miller, Abhinav Manohar, Sai Sudharsan, Wriddhiman Saha, Matthew Wade, Rashid Khan, Rahul Tewatia, Vijay Shankar, Mohammed Shami, Alzarri Joseph, Yash Dayal, Pradeep Sangwan, Darshan Nalkande, Jayant Yadav, R Sai Kishore, Noor Ahmad.