Experienced all-rounder Hardik Pandya has given all the credit to the Mumbai Indians (MI) for his amazing success as the captain of the Gujarat Titans (GT) in the ongoing edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL). However, Pandya has already played for Mumbai Indians for seven years after making his debut in 2015. But after a poor season in 2021, Mumbai Indians had released him just before the mega auction of 2022 IPL. And Gujarat Titans used the opportunity very well and picked him up ahead of the mega auction of the cash-rich league, appointing him as the skipper.
On the other hand, Gujarat Titans have become the first team to qualify for the 2022 IPL playoffs. On Sunday, May 15, they cemented their place in the top two after beating four-time IPL champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) by seven wickets.
"You don't get extra points for finishing early, so it is important to win. (On his captaincy), I did alright because having played in the previous franchise where a lot of responsibility was given to the players. I have always enjoyed responsibility where it kind of gives me ownership of things where I can control. And I feel where I have batted throughout my career has given me a lot of idea about how the game is going, which kind of bowler will be important in certain situations. Playing for a different franchise and doing what I have done in the past has helped me in my captaincy," Hardik Pandya was quoted as saying after the match.
However, Hardik Pandya also applauded Gujarat Titans' head coach Ashish Nehra for his outstanding contribution to the team's success so far. On the other hand, Gujarat Titans will play their last league match against Faf du Plessis-led Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) on Thursday, May 19, at the Wankhede Stadium before they feature in the Qualifier 1 at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata.
"Ashu pa (Ashish Nehra) and I have very similar mindsets. We connect without saying much. We'll see if any player requires rest, otherwise we need to keep the momentum. The core group needs to be intact. If fast bowlers need rest, we'll rotate otherwise it'll stay the same," Hardik Pandya concluded.