Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Gujarat Titans’ Director of Cricket, Vikram Solanki, has provided an update on their captain Hardik Pandya’s fitness ahead of the upcoming IPL 2022.
Hardik is all set to captain the Gujarat Titans in the upcoming IPL 2022, starting on March 26. However, the all-rounder has been out of competitive cricket since the T20 World Cup 2021, but he is currently regaining his fitness and gearing up to take the field in the upcoming tournament.
Solanki told The Telegraph: “Hardik is working extremely hard in all aspects of his game, from the rehabilitation and recovery point of view. He is conscious that he has to get up to speed with batting, bowling, and fielding… He is on his path to recovery and playing a full part but we have to be patient with the demands.”
The Gujarat Titans signed Pandya ahead of the IPL 2022 auction for a whopping INR 15 crore and later named the all-rounder their captain for the tournament.
Praising the captain, Solanki stated: “Remember, he is coming back from an injury. Hardik as a batsman is an exceptional addition to any team. But if we take batting, bowling, and fielding together, then he’s a complete package. But having said all that, we have to be conscious of his long-term plans. We are very happy with the way he is progressing.”
Solanki further said Hardik has played under captains like MS Dhoni, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli and has learned a lot from them, which will work in the franchise’s favor.
Solanki further added, “He has been part of our leadership group and has taken a lot of learnings from other captains like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and MS Dhoni. He will use all that learning in developing himself as a captain and will be well backed by the support staff.”
He signed off by saying, “We see in Hardik the qualities that can turn him into a successful and very fine captain. We have spoken a couple of times about his track record as far as winning IPL titles is concerned.”
(The Telegraph inputs)
