Kamal Ghorui
Gujarat Titans have brought in promising South African wicketkeeper-batter Connor Esterhuizen as a replacement for England’s Tom Banton, who has been ruled out of the remainder of the Indian Premier League 2026 season due to a finger injury.The 24-year-old Esterhuizen arrives with a rising reputation after a breakthrough international outing against New Zealand last month. In what was his maiden T20I series, the young batter lit up the five-match contest, scoring 200 runs at an impressive strike rate of 145.98. His consistency and power-hitting — including 13 sixes — earned him the Player of the Series award as South Africa clinched a 3-2 win after trailing earlier in the series.IPL 2026: GT vs KKR Live Score A rising star earns IPL opportunityEsterhuizen’s signing marks his first stint in the IPL, a significant step in his career after steadily climbing the ranks in domestic and franchise cricket. He has previously featured in South Africa’s SA20 league, representing sides like MI Cape Town and Pretoria Capitals, where his aggressive batting and wicketkeeping skills caught attention.GT have secured him at his base price of Rs 75 lakh, bringing him in primarily as a backup wicketkeeping option for England white-ball captain Jos Buttler. However, given his recent form, Esterhuizen could well push for a role in the playing XI if opportunities arise during the tournament.Titans look to regroupLed by Shubman Gill, Gujarat Titans have had a mixed start to their IPL 2026 campaign, with two wins and two losses placing them in the middle of the table. The team will be keen to build momentum as the tournament progresses, especially with squad adjustments becoming crucial in a long season.Their next assignment comes against struggling Kolkata Knight Riders in Ahmedabad on Friday. KKR are currently rooted to the bottom of the standings, still searching for their first win after five matches.While Esterhuizen may not walk straight into the XI, his arrival adds depth and fresh energy to the Titans’ setup. For a side aiming to regain consistency, the South African youngster could prove to be an intriguing option as the season unfolds.
