South African Connor Esterhuizen joins Gujarat Titans. (NOT a photo) Gujarat Titans have brought in promising South African batsman Connor Esterhuizen as a replacement for England’s Tom Banton, who has been ruled out of the rest of the Indian Premier League 2026 season with a finger injury.Esterhuizen, 24, arrives with a growing reputation after a breakthrough international outing against New Zealand last month. In his first T20I series, the young batsman lit up the five-match contest, scoring 200 runs at an impressive rate of 145.98. His consistency and power – including 13 sixes – earned him the Player of the Series award as South Africa won 3-2 after trailing earlier in the series.
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Jitesh Sharma reveals RCB’s batting mindset IPL 2026: GT vs KKR Live Score 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 such as MI Cape Town and Pretoria Capitals, where his aggressive batting and goalkeeping caught the eye.GT secured him at his base price of Rs 75 lakh, bringing him in primarily as a back-up wicket for England’s white-ball captain Jose Buttler. However, given his recent form, Esterhuizen could well push for a role in the playing XI should opportunities arise during the tournament.The Titans try to regroupShubman Gill-led Gujarat Titans have had a mixed start to their IPL 2026 campaign, with two wins and two losses to sit mid-table. The team will be keen to build momentum as the tournament progresses, especially with squad adjustments being crucial in the long season.Their next assignment comes against the struggling Kolkata Knight Riders in Ahmedabad on Friday. KKR are currently rooted at the bottom of the table and still looking for their first win after five matches.
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While Esterhuizen may not step straight into the XI, his arrival adds depth and fresh energy to the Titans set-up. For a side looking to regain consistency, the South African youngster could prove to be an interesting option as the season progresses.
