Gujarat Titans are set to release Shahrukh Khan and Glenn Phillips before the IPL 2027 mini-auction, according to a PTI report on 21 October. South African keeper-batter Connor Esterhuizen is likely to be retained.
No final decision has been made yet. Franchises must submit their retained and released lists by 15 November, ahead of the IPL 2027 auction.
Journalist Kushan Sarkar, who first reported the moves on X, said the side that lost the 2026 final to RCB needs only a light trim.
“Looks a very set outfit going into Mini auctions. There could be 2 likely releases.”
Kushan Sarkar, X, 21 October 2026
🚨 REPORTS 🚨
Gujarat Titans are likely to release Shahrukh Khan and Glenn Phillips, while Connor Esterhuizen is reportedly set to be retained for IPL 2027.
(Source – PTI)
#Cricket #GT #Sportskeeda https://t.co/XOjrHytCmv
— Sportskeeda (@Sportskeeda) October 21, 2026
Shahrukh’s numbers explain the first call. What they hide is how a finisher’s job is built to break those numbers, and why teams cut the role before the player.
| Player | 2026 price | IPL 2026 | Expected call |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shahrukh Khan | ₹4 crore | 9 matches, 43 runs, SR 130.3 | Release |
| Glenn Phillips | ₹2 crore | 6 matches, 67 runs, SR 124.07 | Release |
| Connor Esterhuizen | ₹75 lakh | Did not play | Retain |
Shahrukh made 43 runs in nine matches at an average of 10.75 in 2026. A year earlier, he scored 179 runs at a strike rate of 179.
His price had already fallen from ₹9 crore at Punjab Kings in 2022 to ₹4 crore at GT. After GT’s 99-run loss to Mumbai Indians in April, he described what his job looks like.
“It’s not a fixed sort of role.”
Shahrukh Khan, IANS interview after GT’s defeat to Mumbai Indians, 21 April 2026
Insider Read
A finisher only learns his job when he walks out. One night it is two balls to swing at, the next it is a collapse that needs ten overs of rebuilding. At 43 runs and a strike rate of 130.3, Shahrukh faced roughly 33 balls all season, so three bad nights could define his year.
That is why a release like this is rarely about one player. When a finisher’s numbers fall apart, the team starts asking whether it needs a specialist at seven at all. Freeing ₹4 crore lets GT answer that question at the auction table.
Why Phillips Goes and Esterhuizen Stays
Phillips cost ₹2 crore and took up an overseas slot, yet managed 67 runs in six matches without a wicket. He was ruled out of IPL 2025 with a groin injury without playing a game.
In April, he spoke about the challenge of changing roles.
“It is just trying to be as consistent in whatever role I am given to play on that particular day.”
Glenn Phillips, pre-match press conference before KKR vs GT, Kolkata, 16 April 2026
Esterhuizen is the opposite case. GT signed him at his ₹75 lakh base price on 17 April to replace the injured Tom Banton, and he did not play a single IPL match.
His stock has risen anyway. He was Player of the Series in his debut T20I series in New Zealand in March, then hit 119 for his maiden ODI hundred against Namibia in September. Retaining him keeps him at ₹75 lakh instead of sending him back into the auction pool.
GT’s final list is due on 15 November. The auction is tentatively set for 16 December at ITC Grand Goa, though the BCCI has not confirmed the date.
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