India, Dec. 14 -- Gujarat Titans have the spine most teams spend an entire auction trying to build, the top-order certainty, multiple high-quality quicks, and elite spin. What GT need now is far more specific: a couple of role-perfect fixes that turn a strong XI into a ruthless, match-winning machine.

That clarity is shaped by numbers. GT head into the mini-auction with INR 12.90 cr in the purse and five slots to fill, with the flexibility of four overseas slots available. A mid-sized wallet and multiple vacancies typically forces into compromise. For GT, it should enforce discipline: one impact buy, then smart value to complete the squad without hollowing out the bench.

On paper, the retained core covers most bases. Shubman Gill and Sa...