Sunrisers Hyderabad bowler Harshal Patel. File
| Photo Credit: Shiv Kumar Pushpakar
Two-time Indian Premier League Purple Cap winner Harshal Patel is set to join Gujarat Titans from Sunrisers Hyderabad in an all-cash trade ahead of the retention deadline on November 17.
The Hindu understands that the 35-year-old pacer, whose expertise in the death overs has made him a sought-after commodity in the IPL, will move to the Ahmedabad-based franchise for ₹4 crore — half the price SRH paid to acquire him at the IPL 2025 auction.
Harshal’s stint with SRH failed to take off as expected. After a moderate 2025 season, the franchise relied heavily on uncapped Indian pacers Sakib Hussain and Praful Hinge during IPL 2026, leaving the experienced campaigner with just five appearances.
SRH has also been busy reshaping its pace attack ahead of the next season. It has brought in Khaleel Ahmed and Nathan Ellis from Chennai Super Kings, besides acquiring T. Natarajan from Delhi Capitals. With the franchise adding considerable depth to its pace bowling resources, Harshal has seemingly been deemed surplus to requirements.
For Harshal, the move to Gujarat Titans will be something of a homecoming. He has previously represented Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Delhi Capitals and Punjab Kings, besides SRH, and will now return to the franchise where his family roots are and had pursued his services aggressively at the last two auctions.
In 2024, Gujarat Titans went hard after Harshal, before the Punjab Kings eventually secured his services. A year later, GT once again entered the bidding contest, only to be outbid by SRH.
Harshal has twice finished an IPL season as the leading wicket-taker, claiming 32 wickets for RCB in 2021 and 24 for PBKS in 2024. His ability to deliver yorkers, slower balls and variations at the death is likely to add an experienced Indian option to GT’s potent bowling attack.
While the trading window will continue till December 9, a week before the IPL auction on December 16, it will be interesting to see if GT continues to be in trading action ahead of the retention deadline.
Published – November 14, 2026 07:11 pm IST
