Hardik Pandya is leading Gujarat Titans in the ongoing IPL season.
Gujarat Titans (GT) took on the 4-time champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in match number 29 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 at the Maharashtra Cricket Association In Pune on Sunday (April 17).
Rashid Khan and Ravindra Jadeja walked out for the toss. It was later revealed that Hardik Pandya had suffered a groin injury and Khan was the stand-in captain for the Titans.
GT won the toss and elected to bowl first. CSK, on the back of opener Ruturaj Gaikwad's 48-ball 73, Ambati Rayadu's 31-ball 46, and skipper Jadeja's 12-ball 22*, posted a total of 169/5 in 20 overs.
The chasing team got off to a shaky start, losing 4 wickets in the first 10 overs. When Rahul Tewatia got out in the 13th over with just 87 runs on the board, it was up to the stand-in skipper Rashid and David Miller to take the team over the line. Both of them kept their team's hopes alive.
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The Rashid Khan-led side needed 48 runs to win when the contest reached the 18th over. During the late drama, regular captain Hardik was seen on the sidelines with batting coach Gary Kirsten, and the two appeared to be anxious as the game progressed.
Former England skipper Michael Vaughan said on Cricbuzz after the match, "I was chuckling at Hardik Pandya on the sidelines. He was in Gary Kirsten's ear every single time. He was like a parrot on his shoulders."
"He (Hardik) was bringing lots of energy from the sidelines... and that's a really big win for the Titans," said Vaughan
"To do it without Hardik and the fact that Shubman Gill didn't contribute at all, that's a big win. And if they can get David Miller to play in that fashion, you put Hardik next to him as a right-hander and they can be a real threat in this year's IPL. They have had a great start. Still, a long way to go but they have got kinds so early days of reign... it's a really good start from the Titans," he added further.
Eventually, Khan (40 off 21 balls) and Miller (94* off 51 balls) were able to take the team over the line. The franchise holds the top position on the points table with 5 wins from 6 matches.
GT will next take on the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on Saturday (April 23) at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai.
(HT INPUTS)