Gujarat Titans are leading the IPL 2022 points table with 4 wins from 5 games.
The Hardik Pandya-led franchise is due to take on Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in Pune on Sunday (April 17). On the eve of the game, GT pacer credited Lockie Ferguson captain Hardik for their stellar campaign thus far.
Ferguson has played a key role in the Titans’ dominance, claiming eight wickets from five games including two match-turning performances.
"Hardik has a pretty relaxed approach towards game of cricket and he plays the game to entertain people as much as to win the game. I think that kind of attitude breathes energy and life into the group, and of course, he is leading with his performances which counts for a lot," Ferguson said, as quoted by PTI.
The Kiwi pacer is comfortable around the leadership group and showered rich praise on everyone.
"The whole leadership group including vice-captain Rashid (Khan) has also got a relaxed attitude and coaching group of Gary (mentor Kirsten), Vik (Director of cricket Vikram Solanki) and (head coach) Ash (Ashish Nehra) are the same. That explains quite well and its enjoyable," he added.
"Hardik has taken to leadership with an open arm but he has shown that one can't forget how good a batter he is when he gets going," he further said.
Ferguson also considers Hardik Pandya as the most dangerous T20 batter he has ever bowled to.
"It's nice to have him in my side as I remember when I was with KKR, in one match, he was hitting sixes for fun."
The speedster also spoke about his special delivery that got rid of RR opener Jos Buttler, who was on a rampage in the last game.
"Look I wasn't trying to think too much about the score at that time. We had a wicket earlier in that over (R Ashwin) and Rashid had already bowled a gun over, the one before me, so that built some pressure," he said.
"The first ball that Jos played against me and I thought he might try to lap it and he was too good as he hit it for a six.
"So my only real option was to change the pace and try to get some sort of movement in the air and it came out perfectly landing at the bottom of the stumps. So I was very pleased, to tell from reaction that I got him out," he said.
Ferguson acknowledged that batters are doing well to counter the yorker and block hole deliveries at the death overs, and thus, the wide yorkers have come into the scene.
"The batters are setting up for yorkers now and when they are practising in nets and on bowling machines, I find them to be so good at hitting low full-tosses and that's pretty awesome part of the game that if a bowler misses a fine margin, he is hit for six."
"Fast bowlers have had to adapt and in IPL in last two seasons, fast bowlers have done a great job on slightly bigger UAE grounds (Dubai and Abu Dhabi). Grounds this year are decent sizes and, yeah, I think, there isn't a one-size-fits-all kind of a delivery.
"Yes wide yorker is an effective delivery but you are also toying with the wide line. Depends how it's coming out on the day and depends how the batters are going about it."
(With PTI inputs)