“Hardik Pandya ke saath thoda news bikta hai” - GT skipper’s cheeky dig at critics after victory in IPL 2022 Qualifier 1 vs RR

Gujarat Titans (GT) skipper Hardik Pandya took a dig at critics after his team’s win over the Rajasthan Royals (RR) in the IPL 2022 Qualifier 1 on Tuesday. Asked what he makes of the constant noise around his form and fitness, the all-rounder responded that news sells with his name and he just laughs off the criticism.

There were question marks over the 28-year-old heading into IPL 2022. He hadn’t been in great form ahead of the T20 league and his fitness was also a major concern. Some pundits also questioned the decision to appoint him as GT captain despite his lack of leadership experience.

Defying all predictions, Pandya led Gujarat to the top of the IPL points table by the end of the league stage. On Tuesday, he played a key role in guiding the IPL team to the IPL final in the franchise’s maiden appearance in the tournament.

In a post-match conference following GT’s seven-wicket victory over RR, Pandya was asked for his take on his critics. In a tongue-in-cheek manner, he replied:

“Logo ka toh kaam hai kehna. Kya karu sir? Hardik Pandya ke saath thoda news bikta hai. Mujhe koi problem nahi hai. Hasi ke saath nikal deta hoon.” (It’s people’s job to speak. What can I do sir? News sells on Hardik Pandya’s name. I am okay with it. I just laugh it off.)

The Gujarat skipper scored an unbeaten 40 off 27 balls in the successful chase of 189 against RR at Eden Gardens in Kolkata. He featured in an unbroken stand of 106 with David Miller (68* off 38).

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“Lot of people counted Miller out, but for us he was always a match-winner” - Hardik Pandya

The GT skipper also shed light on the resurgence of David Miller in IPL 2022. Pandya admitted that a lot of people did not have high hopes from him. However, he asserted that the franchise believed in him from the time they picked him up at the auction. Sharing his thoughts on the South African big-hitter, he said:

“I am genuinely proud of the way he has lifted his game up. He is such a wonderful guy. I always wanted good things to happen to him. It shows that if you give importance to an individual player, he can flourish and how. A lot of people counted David Miller out, but for us he was always a match-winner from the time we bought him at the auction. We always expected him to do what he did today. For us, it was important to give him that clarity about what we expect from him.”

On his own role with the bat in the win, the captain added that he knew his job as he has been in situations like this before. Stating that his aim was to stay calm, Pandya concluded:

“I tried to make sure that I am neutral and calm because it allows you to make the right decision. Sometimes, if you get too excited and too hyped up, you kind of make the wrong decision. For me, it was important to create a partnership. When Miller came in, I had to make sure that I took the pressure off him and scored quick runs. Obviously, you saw what Miller did after he got set.”

GT were in a spot of bother at 85/3 when Miller joined his skipper out in the middle while chasing 189. The duo, however, were in complete control during their partnership as Gujarat booked their place in the IPL 2022 final.