CSK Vs GT: I Have Enjoyed Responsibility And It Has Helped Me - Hardik Pandya

Gujarat Titans (GT) captain Hardik Pandya was elated as his team defeated Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the 62^nd match of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2022) on May 15, 2022, in the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.

With this win, GT went up to 20 points in IPL 2022 points table and with one more match to go, they have confirmed a top-two finish, having already qualified for the playoffs, and will now get two chances to make it into the IPL 2022 finals.

Bowling first after CSK captain MS Dhoni won the toss, Gujarat bowlers were on point and though they only picked 5 wickets of their opposition, they bowled tight lengths and line to keep CSK to 133/ in 20 overs, with Ruturaj Gaikwad making 53 and Mohammad Shami taking 2/19 in his 4 overs.

In reply, Matheesha Pathirana on his debut took two wickets of Shubman Gill (18) and Hardik Pandya (7), but Wriddhiman Saha with 67* with 8 fours and 1 six and contributions from Matthew Wade (20) and David Miller (18*) ensured that GT won the match by 7 wickets and pocket two important points.

The Core Group Needs To Be Intact: Hardik Pandya On Team Combination

Hardik Pandya was a happy man as he walked up to the podium to have a talk with the presenter in the after-match ceremony. He was all praises for his team and players and also talked about his captaincy.

He said: “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 enjoyed responsibility and it has helped me.

“Doing what have done in the past has helped. Ashu pa (Ashish Nehra) and me are very similar in 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.”

GT will play RCB in their last match on May 19 at this same venue.

Also Read: CSK vs GT: Watch – Matheesha Pathirana Bags His Maiden IPL Wicket On 1st Ball By Dismissing Shubman Gill