"I was very keen to go to that side" - Hardik Pandya opens up on joining LSG ahead of IPL 2022

Gujarat Titans (GT) captain Hardik Pandya made a surprising revelation on being close to joining the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), thanks to his friendship with KL Rahul.

Pandya was part of the Mumbai Indians (MI) setup from 2015 to 2021 before being surprisingly released ahead of the 2022 season. There was a lot of speculation about his new team ahead of the IPL 2022 mega-auction before he eventually joined GT as a skipper.

Speaking to Gaurav Kapoor on the Gujarat Titans podcast, Hardik Pandya said:

"I did get a call from the other franchise (Lucknow Super Giants) as well, which was a new franchise in IPL. Someone who I knew (KL Rahul) was leading the team. For me, it was very important, considering the stage at which I was, where I really wanted to play with a person who has known me."

Pandya further added:

"I always found that people who know me have a different perspective than people who have never come across or come close to me. When I got the opportunity to work with someone I know, I was very keen to go to that side."

The 29-year-old all-rounder recalled how a conversation with GT head coach Ashish Nehra convinced him to join the Titans ahead of Lucknow:

"But then Ashu pa called me. He said, 'I'm going to be the coach. It isn't fixed yet, but I will be coach'. I was like, 'Ashu pa, if you weren't there, I wouldn't have even considered this because you're saying thisâ€æ I've always felt you are one person who has understood what I am."

Pandya continued:

"I'm simple to work with, someone who knows me, know what I am. I think he (Nehra) comes in those categories who has found the right side of me. I told him, 'Ashu pa, it's very important for me to know what you're looking at'. We had a good chat. I was like, 'Okay let me think about it'.

Hardik Pandya further revealed how moments after the conversation, Nehra had texted about wanting him to be the captain of the side.

"Moments after disconnecting the call, he dropped me a message saying 'if you're ready, I would like you to take the captaincy'. That was a surprise for me. I didn't expect that. I've never been a person who has ever run behind anything. If someone comes, it comes. When I got to know, I was in a different zone," the all-rounder added.

Eventually, Hardik Pandya was roped in by the Gujarat Titans as their first pick for ₹15 crores. He then led the Titans to the IPL title in their inaugural season in 2022, leading the team from the front, scoring 487 runs and picking up eight wickets.

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"We can take a couple of more risks in the middle overs" - GT skipper Hardik Pandya unimpressed despite the win against PBKS

GT Skipper Hardik Pandya wasn't overly impressed despite the side's victory against PBKS.

The defending champions Gujarat Titans (GT) registered their third win of the season in four matches, beating the Punjab Kings (PBKS) by six wickets at Mohali on Thursday, April 13.

Despite the result, skipper Hardik Pandya admitted that the side took it too deep and should have taken more risks in the middle overs to ensure the game wasn't too close.

Speaking at the post-match presentation, Pandya said:

"To be very honest, I would not appreciate the game to go this close from the situation we were in. There was definitely a lot for us to learn from this game. That's the beauty of sports, it's never over till it's over. So we will go back to the drawing board. I think we can take a couple more risks in the middle overs. We should take risks and play shots in the middle overs, need to make sure the game doesn't go so deep."

Hardik had missed the previous game against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) due to a virus, and that ended up being the only game the defending champions have dropped points thus far this season.

The Gujarat-born cricketer himself hasn't had the best season so far, scoring just 21 runs from three innings at a strike rate of 81.

Gujarat Titans will next take on the Rajasthan Royals in a rematch of last year's final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday, April 16.