Veteran cricketer Manoj Tiwary has backed Gujarat Titans (GT) captain Hardik Pandya as India’s future captain in the shorter formats. The comments came after Pandya’s all-round show guided his side to an easy win against Rajasthan Royals (RR).
Leading for the first time in the IPL, Hardik has already made his presence felt. Under the 28-year-old all-rounder, Gujarat have won four of the first five games. While the Titans were thought to have the weakest team in the competition, the side has come well so far in the tournament.
On Thursday, Hardik Pandya produced a superlative to lead his side to victory. He scored an unbeaten 87 with the bat before affecting a runout and picking up the wicket of James Neesham as Gujarat drowned Rajasthan Royals by 37 runs.
On the wake of it, Manoj Tiwary, who has represented India in 12 ODIs and three T20Is, seemed impressed by Hardik Pandya’s leadership abilities. Taking to Twitter, the 36-year-old cricketer from Bengal wrote:
“If ever there is a debate on who is going to replace or in competition for Captaining team India in shorter format then it has to be @hardikpandya Yes watever little I have seen of him in this #IPL as far his leadership skill is concerned, I’m damn impressed wit it #RRvGT”
If ever there is a debate on who is going to replace or in competition for Captaining team India 🇮🇳 in shorter format then it has to be @hardikpandya7 Yes watever little I have seen of him in this #IPL as far his leadership skill is concerned, I’m damn impressed wit it 👍 #RRvGT
— MANOJ TIWARY (@tiwarymanoj) April 14, 2022
Incidentally, Hardik Pandya has thrived on additional responsibilities, which has also impacted his performance. The cricketer from Baroda has become more mature as a cricketer, which has had a glowing effect on the entire Gujarat contingent.
It allows me to be the flag bearer – Hardik Pandya of captaincy
Meanwhile, the 28-year-old ace all-rounder is also enjoying the leadership duties as he always likes to assume responsibilities. Hardik was also part of the leadership group when he was a part of the Mumbai Indians squad.
Speaking at the post-match presentation ceremony, he stated: “Captaincy is always fun because it allows me to take responsibility and be the flag-bearer. I’m very happy with the way the group is shaping up to be. They are carrying one another. That’s the motto of the team as well. I wanted everyone to be happy for each other’s success and play as a team. That’s something that’s working for us.”
Gujarat Titans will play their next game against the Chennai Super Kings on Sunday at Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Pune.
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