Who is Connor Esterhuizen? Gujarat Titans' replacement player after Englishman Tom Banton ruled out of IPL 2026

Gujarart Titans have named Connor Esterhuizen as a replacement for Tom Banton after the English was ruled out of ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) due to an injury. Banton was bought by the 2022 champions for ₹2 crore and was espected to bring some balance to the already-struggling middle-order. However, he could play a single game before being ruled out due to a finger injury that the Englishman suffered during training.

As a replacement, Gujarat Titans signed South African cricketer Connor Esterhuizen as a replacement. “Gujarat Titans (GT) have signed Connor Esterhuizen as a replacement for Tom Banton, who has been ruled out of the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 owing to a finger injury,” the IPL said in a statement. This will be the 24-year-old’s first stint in the IPL.

Esterhuizen joins Gujarat Titans for a base price of ₹75 lakh.

Who is Conor Esterhuizen? All you need to know

A wicketkeeper-batter, Esterhuizen made his international debut for South Africa in March earlier this year against New Zealand in a five-match T20I series. He made an impressive start, winning two Player of the Match awards and was also named Player of the Series, helping South Africa win the series 3-2 after the Proteas were 1-2 down.

Born in Johannesburg, Esterhuizen made an impression when he scored loads of runs for Wits University First XI, which earned him a call from the Lions Academy side. That was a big breakthrough in Esterhuizen's career as he impressed to be named in the Lions senior side.

Esterhuizen sred a half-century on his List A debut for Lions in 2022 in the CSA One-Day Cup. The same year, he also made his T20 debut in the 2022–23 CSA T20 Challenge. His first-class debut came the year after in the CSA 4-Day Series. Esterhuizen's first experience in franchise T20 league came in 2023 when he was signed by Abu Dhabi Knight Riders in ILT20.

In 2023, Esterhuizen was picked by MI Cape Town in SA20 in the player's draft. His first break in the national side when Esterhuizen was picked for South Africa A side for a first-class series against India A.

For MI Cape Town, Esterhuizen played two seasons, scoring 219 runs in 11 matches. In the SA20 2025-26, Esterhuizen was picked up by Pretoria Capitals, playing 12 games for 166 runs. In ILT20, Esterhuizen played just four games for Abu Dhabi Knight Riders.

For his national team, Esterhuizen scored 45 not out on debut to lead South Africa to a seven-wicket win. However, he could replicate his form in the next two, which South Africa lost. Down 1-2 in the series, Esterhuizen played a huge role in South African's wins in the final two games of the series, scoring 57 and 75 not out in the fourth and fifth games respectively.

Gujarat Titans in IPL 2026

In IPL 2026, Gujarat Titans are currently placed sixth with four points from as many games. Having started with two back-to-back losses. the Shubman Gill-led side are back on track with two consecutive wins. On Friday, Gujarat Titans host winless Kolkata Knight Riders in Ahmedabad.

Catch the live updates from IPL 2026 with the complete IPL 2026 Schedule and the IPL 2026 Points Table. Also, know who are currently leading the charts in IPL 2026 Orange Cap and IPL 2026 Purple Cap.