"Cannot attribute their season down to just luck" - Virender Sehwag on GT's run to the final of IPL 2022 

Former Indian batter Virender Sehwag believes that luck had no say whatsoever in Gujarat Titans' (GT) qualification for the IPL 2022 final. The Hardik Pandya-led side finished the league stage at the top and also became the first team to make it to the final.

In their maiden stints as captain and head coach respectively, Hardik Pandya and Ashish Nehra have played huge roles in the franchise's dream run. With a number of match-winners in their ranks, GT have only lost four matches over the course of the campaign so far.

Opining that GT were never reliant on any other team's result, Sehwag said on Cricbuzz:

"Cannot attribute their season down to just luck. They were never reliant on other results like RCB. They have worked hard, they have planned. It is not right to say that they had luck and things like the law of averages. They bought Tewatia for the sole reason of hitting sixes and he won a couple of matches for them doing exactly that. "

GT assembled their first-ever squad at the mega auction after deciding to pick the trio of Hardik Pandya, Rashid Khan and Shubman Gill in the player draft.

"GT have picked top-quality bowlers" - Parthiv Patel

The fundamental reason behind the franchise's success in the tournament largely goes to the bowlers. A star-studded unit, led by the likes of Mohammad Shami and Rashid Khan, have lived up to expectations and are among the top 10 wicket-takers this season.

Noting that the bowling department is capable of rescuing the team if the batters have a bad outing, former India wicket-keeper Parthiv Patel said on Cricbuzz:

"If you see the bowling unit they have assembled, they have one of India's best bowlers, Mohammad Shami. They have young bowlers like Yash Dayal and Sai Kishore. Experience is there in the form of Jayant Yadav. They have picked top-quality bowlers, even from domestic cricket. This bowling attack can defend even 150-160."

The Hardik Pandya-led side will face the Rajasthan Royals (RR) in the IPL 2022 final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on May 29.