Best captain of TATA IPL so far, Hardik Pandya guides Gujarat Titans to playoffs in style
Published By : Prameya News Bureau | May 11, 2022 IST
Share
New Delhi, May 11: Newbies Gujarat Titans became the first team to qualify for the playoffs in the TATA IPL 2022 on the back of scintillating performances in the league stage. Titans, under the leadership of their charismatic skipper Hardik Pandya, humbled debutants Lucknow Super Giants in their latest game by 62 runs and confirmed a playoff berth in style. With 9 wins and 18 points in their kitty, Titans are placed comfortably at the top of the points table in the TATA IPL 2022 and they also look to favourites to finish in the top two. Proving the cricket pundits wrong with their game, the Titans have been a team to beat in the most exciting IPL season and Hardik Pandya emerged as the best captain of the tournament so far. Without any prior experience in captaincy, Hardik proved the naysayers wrong with his leadership skills and street smart decisions. He's making the right calls at the right time and backing his players to the hilt, which are great signs for any leader. The way Hardik is marshalling his troops is simply amazing and as a result, the team sees a new match-winner in every game. The decision to hand over a debut cap to an uncapped R Sai Kishore at the business end of the tournament also shows the confidence of the team management and the skipper in its bench strength. Hardik has impressed with his astute captaincy moves. Experts reckon the added responsibility of leading the franchise is bringing the best out of the star India all-rounder. Former Australian cricketer Matthew Hayden reckons Hardik is showing all the qualities of a good leader in the ongoing tournament as he keeps performing well against big teams. Speaking on Cricket Live on Star Sports, Matthew Hayden said, "Good cricketers, good leaders in particular keep their best for the best of times and that's Hardik Pandya (for you) right now. He's performing well in all departments. I love his energy and the enthusiasm that he brings to the table." Hardik has returned to the cricket pitch after recovering from an injury but he's showing no signs of fatigue or inhibitions. The Baroda all-rounder has amassed 344 runs in 11 games at an impressive strike rate of 131.80. Hardik has notched up three half-centuries in the most exciting IPL season and leading by example in all three departments. Former Indian batting great Sunil Gavaskar lauded the Indian cricketer's all-round skills and the discipline he's showing in the ongoing tournament. Speaking on Cricket Live on Star Sports, Gavaskar said, "Hat's off to the hard work he's been putting in. He didn't play a lot of cricket before the IPL because he was recovering from an injury. (Now) Look at the discipline he's showing in his batting. He's batting well in the powerplay and making full use of the field restrictions, he's doing exceedingly well in the field and getting better with every game." Former Indian cricketer Harbhajan Singh - who has shared the dressing room with Hardik during his stint with Mumbai Indians - believes a player like Hardik requires a breathing space and he's getting that freedom from Gujarat Titans think tank. Speaking on Cricket Live on Star Sports, Harbhajan said, "A player like Hardik should have the freedom to work on his game, and he’s getting that at Gujarat Titans. For me, he is the best captain in this season so far. He is taking responsibility. Now he is bowling his full quota of four overs. He is leading the team from the front and has made a habit of scoring consistently with his bat. He always looks to motivate his teammates." Former Indian cricketer Mohammad Kaif – who has plied his trade both as a player, as well as a coach, in the IPL – claimed Hardik is relishing the responsibility and that is why his game is looking more balanced. Kaif said on Cricket Live on Star Sports, "Hardik is now a changed player. As a captain, he is taking the responsibility of leading the team's middle-order seriously, and scoring heavily. You can see, he is not getting overly aggressive this season, which is a major shift in his batting approach from the previous seasons."
News7 Is Now On WhatsApp Join And Get Latest News Updates Delivered To You Via WhatsApp
You Might Also Like
More From Related News
IPL 2024: Hosts LSG ask CSK to bat first in Lucknow
IPL 2024: Hardik fined for MI's slow over-rate
Olympic Trials: Shooters Esha, Bhavesh dominate
IPL 2024: Resurgent DC to face SRH at Kotla tomorrow
IPL 2024: Lucknow test await CSK at Ekana Sadium
IPL 2024: Daring Ashutosh wins praise from SKY
IPL 2024: Taking pace off worked well, admits Coetzee
IPL 2024: Surya on fire, but experts expect more
IPL 2024: Chahar recovering well, says Fleming
IPL 2024: Rohit not a big fan of impact player rule
IPL 2024: Klusener unsure if Mayank can play vs CSK
IPL 2024: Bairstow replaced; Punjab opt to bowl first vs MI
Dubai Rains: Two Indian wrestlers stranded at airport
IPL 2024: Rishabh ready for T20 World Cup!
Paris Olympics: Sreeshankar ruled out with knee injury
IPL 2024: Gleeson to replace Conway in CSK squad
IPL 2024: MI attack need more teeth, remarks Finch
Sunil Narine's 49-ball ton helps KKR post 223/6 against Rajasthan Royals
You can't just be good, you've to be very good every day, says DC's Ponting ahead of GT clash
IPL 2024: Finch terms RCB-SRH match as six-hitting contest