Driving Naari Programme launched in Chandigarh
Tournament newbies Gujarat Titans clinched the Indian Premier League (IPL) in debut season with a second-wicket win over Rajasthan Royals in front of a record crowd in Ahmedabad last month.
It was a fairytale finish for the Titans, who entered the 10-team competition alongside Lucknow Super Giants. The Hardik Pandya-led side defied critics after being questioned for auction strategy before the start of the tournament. The side found multiple game-changers during their first-ever IPL spell but captain Hardik was a notch above the rest. ( | ‘We reserve high praise for a player, then he disappears after 1 year…’: Kapil gives verdict on Umran’s India call-up)
The flamboyant Baroda all-rounder has had his fair share of injuries in the past couple of years. He was also sidelined from the national team following the T20 World Cup last year. But he made a successful return to competitive cricket and capped it off with a match-defining show in the title showdown. Hardik returned figures of 3/17 to restrict Rajasthan to 130 for nine and then hit 34 in the lop-sided final. The local boy set up victory with his key wickets including Jos Buttler’s prized scalp for 39.
In the wake of the Titans’ triumph, Hardik is also being seen as a worthy candidate for India’s captaincy moving forward. But the 28-year-old all-rounder has this year’s T20 World Cup on his to-do list. Hardik shared how he won a ‘battle’ against himself after leading his home IPL franchise to maiden crown. He reflected on injuries and setbacks he faced in the lead-up to his return.
“Emotional-wise I was pretty alright. Obviously, I was happy but for me, it was more about the battle which I won against myself and kind of other things as well. Even qualifying was a big deal for me because a lot of people doubted us before we started. A lot of things were said for me before I made a comeback. For me, it was never about giving them answers but I was just proud of the process that I followed,” Hardik told Star Sports.
“I’ve gotten up at 5 am in the morning to make sure I train and then make sure that the second time I train at 4 pm and give myself enough rest. I slept almost those four months at 9:30 pm. A lot of sacrifices were made but for me, it was the battle which I fought before playing the IPL. After seeing the result, it was more satisfying for me, as a cricketer,” he further added.
Hardik now has a different role to play with the Indian team and he finds ‘immense’ pleasure in delivering for the national team. Coming in to bat lower down the order, he hit a quick-fire 31 off 12 balls as India finished with a flourish in the T20I series opener against South Africa on Thursday.
“I am obviously very excited. Playing for the country has always been special. Coming after such a long break and coming back fresh gives me the opportunity to kind of show what exactly I’ve worked hard for. Doing well for the country is more important and it gives me immense pleasure.”
“Every series or every game you play is as important as your last. For me, World Cup is the goal but this is the right platform to prepare for it. Cricket is going to come back to back so you always need to be in the rhythm. This series is a great opportunity for me to express myself. My roles will be changed, I won’t be the captain or batting higher up the order. This will be back to what Hardik has been known for,” he further added.
