RR vs GT IPL 2022: Hardik Pandya reveals his success MANTRA as captain, says THIS

Gujarat Titans captain Hardik Pandya has led his team to the top of the table after completing 5 games in IPL 2022 so far. GT’s comprehensive 37-run win over Rajasthan Royals was set up by skipper Hardik’s all-round show – scoring 87 not out with the bat and claiming 1/18 with the ball.

After losing his cool in the last match at teammates Mohammed Shami and Sai Sudarshan, Hardik revealed that his ‘motto’ as captain is to keep ‘everyone happy’. “Captaincy is fun and it allows me to take responsibility and be the flag-bearer. The group carries one another. My motto was I wanted everyone to be happy,” Hardik said after the win over the Royals at the DY Patil Stadium in Mumbai on Thursday (April 14).

GT fans must be worried when captain Hardik need to take himself out of the attack in the middle of the 18th over but the Baroda all-rounder revealed that it was just ‘cramps’. The injury-prone cricketer has been doing well in all departments in his comeback tournament. He gave his fans a lot to worry about as he walked back into the dugout in the middle of his third over.

RuPay On-The-Go 4s of the Match between @rajasthanroyals and @gujarat_titans is Hardik Pandya.#TATAIPL @RuPay_npci #RuPayOnTheGoFours #RRvGT pic.twitter.com/UpNwRZJ996 — IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 14, 2022

Hardik, who scored 87 not out off 52 balls, himself allayed fears over his fitness at the post-match presentation. “A lot of hard work for me tonight. It was just cramps, nothing serious,” he said.

It was a second consecutive fifty-plus score for the all-rounder who is aiming to make a national comeback. He is batting higher up the order at number four, allowing him more time to pace his innings.

“I am not used to batting this long. It gives me a lot of time. I can calculate and take risk. The last game it did not come off but today I made sure I did. I have been in this situation where I have taken the role of scoring 12-ball 30. It is difficult but now at four I can control the game,” said Hardik.

(with PTI inputs)