Gujarat Titans won 7 of their 8 matches to lead the points table with 14 points.
Gujarat Titans’ skipper Hardik Pandya credited the support staff and dressing room atmosphere for their stunning run so far in the ongoing IPL 2022. GT has won 7 matches out of 8 played and is at the top of the points table.
He further said that there is a lot of self-belief in his players and they always talk about winning the right situations after Gujarat Titans crushed Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) by 5 wickets in the 40th match of the ongoing IPL 2022 at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Wednesday (April 27).
Needing 22 off the final over, Rahul Tewatia (40* off 21 balls) and Rashid Khan (31* off 11) have shown incredible power-hitting and smashed four sixes between them to win the match for GT over SRH.
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Hardik Pandya said at the post-match presentation ceremony: “We are quite practical as well and talk about winning the right situations. We always back them (Rahul and Rashid) because they have a lot of self-belief. We have intentionally tried to make sure that the dugout or in the dressing room keeps the atmosphere calm because it helps the players play their best game. A lot of credit goes to the support staff.”
In a lighter vein, the all-rounder said that he keeps telling his players that God is helping them out. Pandya continued, “I keep joking in the dressing room that God is telling us 'You guys are good, I'll help you. It's happening so often that I fear we may run out of luck in the knockout games.”
Thanking the Gujarat team’s support staff, the skipper said: “A lot of credit goes to support staff, the kind of environment we have kept. A lot of people get a lot of freedom. It's very chilled out. There's not much pressure given to the players. A lot of pressure is taken on by the leadership group. Everyone is stepping up and doing justice to what they represent.”
Pandya said of his fitness, “It's just a conscious decision to manage my bowling, plan is to bowl whenever the team needs me. It's a long tournament and I don't want to get too excited early. Same with Rahul (Tewatia) as well. He's ready whenever the ball is given to him.”
Meanwhile, the losing SRH captain, Kane Williamson, said that it was a strong performance from the top of the point table and a great learning experience for his team, as their win was shattered in the IPL 15.
Williamson said after the match, “From our perspective when you have two really strong sides that are playing good cricket going at it, the game is played at very small margins.”
He signed off by saying, “As we saw going into that last over, it could've gone either way. So great learning for us as a side, first time batting first for us as well, so a lot of good learning. Another strong performance against top-of-the-table opposition.”
(With PTI Inputs)