Out-of-favour India all-rounder Hardik Pandya on Saturday (April 23) said his focus is solely on doing well in the ongoing IPL and he is not thinking about the national team comeback as it is not in his hands.
Having missed Gujarat Titans’ IPL 2022 fixture against Chennai Super Kings a few days back due to a groin injury, Hardik slammed 49-ball 67 on his return against Kolkata Knight Riders on Saturday (April 23).
Thanks to his third successive half-century, GT defeated CSK by 8 runs and consolidated their position on the top of the IPL 2022 points table.
“I don’t think it’s my (India) comeback anyway and secondly I don’t focus on my comeback. I focus on the game which I play,” Pandya said at the post-match media conference.
Hardik Pandya’s last appearance for India was in the T20 World Cup in November last year. He then underwent an extensive rehab to regain his bowling fitness and, thus, missed out on quite a few series for India.
In the ongoing IPL, Pandya is the second highest run-getter so far with 295 runs from six innings.
“At the moment, I am playing IPL and will focus on IPL, then will see where the future takes. It’s never in my hands now. I focus on the team which I’m playing in. We are doing well and I’m very happy,” he stated.
Hardik said he’s enjoying every bit of his captaincy role for debutants Gujarat Titans.
“Captaincy obviously helps. I’m always a cricketer who loves to take responsibilities. I have a bit of understanding of the game having batted for so many years,” he said.
“You’re successful because you’ve an understanding of the game. Having played so many matches, I’m able to use my experience. So far, so good,” he added.
The Titans were 133/2 after 16 overs against KKR but they lost wickets in quick succession in the death overs to end up with 156/9.
“I feel we were 10-15 runs short, they kind of finished very strong. But with the kind of bowling attack, I backed my chances. The wicket had up and down bounce. The back of the length ball was working pretty nicely,” Pandya added.
(With PTI inputs)
