Two-time Purple Cap winner Harshal Patel is set to move from SRH to Gujarat Titans in a Rs 4 crore cash trade ahead of IPL 2027. The Ahmedabad-born pacer will join his fifth franchise as teams finalize squads before the retention deadline.
Harshal Patel Set for Gujarat Titans Move
New Delhi [India], November 14 (ANI): Two-time IPL Purple Cap winner Harshal Patel is set to move from Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) to Gujarat Titans (GT) through an all-cash trade ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2027 season. According to ESPNcricinfo, Gujarat Titans have agreed to acquire the experienced pacer for Rs 4 crore (approximately US$424,000), half the Rs 8 crore SRH paid for him at the 2025 mega auction.
Following the completion of the deal, Rs 4 crore will be deducted from GT's auction purse. Once finalised, the move will see Harshal represent his fifth IPL franchise since making his debut in 2012. He has previously played for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), Delhi Capitals (DC), Punjab Kings (PBKS) and Sunrisers Hyderabad. Harshal enjoyed a productive first season with SRH in 2025, claiming 16 wickets in 13 matches at an economy rate of 9.80. However, his involvement was significantly reduced in IPL 2026, when he featured in just five matches, failed to take a wicket and conceded runs at an economy rate of 10.82, as SRH preferred uncapped Indian pacers, Praful Hinge and Sakib Hussain.
The right-arm pacer's standout IPL campaigns came in 2021 and 2024. He claimed 32 wickets for RCB in 2021 and 24 wickets for PBKS in 2024, finishing as the tournament's leading wicket-taker in both seasons. The proposed transfer will also mark a homecoming for the Ahmedabad-born cricketer, who moved to Gujarat a few years ago to pursue domestic cricket. At GT, he is expected to add experience to a pace attack featuring Kagiso Rabada, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna and Jason Holder. Gujarat Titans' interest in Harshal dates back to previous auctions. The franchise bid up to Rs 10.5 crore for him in 2024 before Punjab Kings secured his services for Rs 11.75 crore. GT also pursued him at the 2025 mega auction but withdrew after the bidding reached Rs 6.5 crore.
With the IPL 2027 retention deadline approaching on November 17, franchises have stepped up their trading activity ahead of the auction. Sunrisers Hyderabad have been particularly active, acquiring left-arm pacer T. Natarajan from Delhi Capitals before bringing in fast bowlers Khaleel Ahmed and Nathan Ellis through a four-player trade with Chennai Super Kings. Harshal's proposed move adds to the growing pre-auction reshuffle as franchises look to strengthen their squads ahead of the new IPL season.
