Hardik Pandya, the all-rounder and former Mumbai Indians’ player, has revealed how he was close to signing up with the Lucknow Super Giants before joining the Gujarat Titans in the previous IPL edition. On his captaincy debut with the Gujarat Titans, Pandya led his team to victory in their debut season, making him one of the most talked-about cricketers in recent times.
Pandya’s close call with Lucknow Super Giants
In a recent interview, Pandya revealed that there was a point when he was keen on joining a new franchise and that he received a call from Lucknow Super Giants in the previous IPL edition. KL Rahul, his close friend, was leading the team at that time. Pandya wanted to play alongside someone who understood him and had a different perspective of him. However, Ashish Nehra convinced him to change his mind.
Nehra’s offer and Titans’ triumph
Ashish Nehra eventually became the head coach of the Gujarat Titans, and he convinced Pandya to join them instead by offering him the captaincy of the team. Their partnership worked wonders for their squad, resulting in an IPL 2022 win for Gujarat Titans. Pandya showcased his leadership skills while leading from the front as the highest scorer for his team.
Titans’ current squad
The current squad of Gujarat Titans consists of players like David Miller, Shubman Gill, Matthew Wade, Wriddhiman Saha, Rashid Khan, Kane Williamson and Mohammad Shami. They have made a strong start in this year’s IPL season and are currently third in the table with three wins in four matches.
Hardik’s captaincy debut and future potential
Pandya’s captaincy debut in IPL was one of the most notable events of his career. He returned from an injury that troubled him for over three years and led his team to a title victory in their debut season, which added to his credibility. Pandya’s leadership skills were never explored territory for him before.
In conclusion, Pandya’s captaincy debut in IPL and his potential as a future captain of Team India has made him one of the hottest topics in Indian cricket. He has grown into one of the most influential players in the world, leading Gujarat Titans’ charge to lift the trophy on his debut season. As for Lucknow Super Giants, they missed out on signing a player who would have made a huge difference to their team composition, but it would be interesting to see if they try to sign Pandya at some point in the future.
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