'Captain' Hardik Pandya: Onwards & Upwards!

It's an exciting time to be 'Captain,' Hardik Pandya. I mean, in its first season, Gujarat Titans have checked off the majority of the boxes and achieved a slew of milestones that would make any cricket team and its fans pleased. Gujarat qualified for the playoffs first, finished first in the table, and most significantly, their captain, Hardik Pandya, is leading the team from the front as a combative, fearless, yet matured leader both on and off the field.

Not many would have questioned the Titans' defeat if they had failed as first-timers in the IPL, the world's toughest T20 tournament. The team and its management might have used a variety of excuses, including flexibility, travel, leadership, and planning, to mention a few. Instead of making excuses, the Gujarat Titans decided to play methodical (much like their batting coach, Gary Kirsten), aggressive (much like their captain, Hardik Pandya), yet cautious and impactful (much like head coach Ashish Nehra) cricket to stun heavyweights like Mumbai and Chennai and force the rest of the teams to take the Titans seriously as they meant business on the cricket pitch.

(Picture Credit: Twitter/@hardikpandya7)

Hardik, while managing GT, made the most of the expertise and information he earned while playing for the Mumbai Indians under Rohit Sharma for the previous six seasons. He was tactical in his approach, but also cool and composed, like the Hitman, while carrying out the mission in the middle. His batting, which is famed for hitting swashbuckling sixes and huge hits out of the park, was given a dose of responsibility.

Was it because of the captaincy? Was it because the team management entrusted extra responsibility in a team full of match-winners, and all they needed was a glue to bond them?

Hardik Pandya not only united the team, but also provided them with a route to follow without fear of losing or winning a cricket match. The outcomes simply followed. All of them, from New Zealand pacer Lockie Ferguson to veteran South African middle-order batsman David Miller to spin king Rashid Khan, have praised Hardik Pandya's leadership in IPL 2022 for GT.

Pandya's colleague Sai Kishore describes Hardik's captaincy as "simple yet successful." Isn't that what cricket is all about—keeping things simple?

The Gujarat Titans' director of cricket, Vikram Solanki, attributes Hardik Pandya's leadership to the lanky all-ability rounder's to get engaged in all part of the game, on and off the cricket pitch.

“He has grown as a leader. He has taken to the captaincy very well. He has been very giving of his time and has really sort of involved. That is what exactly is paying off. He is having conversations with each and every bowler. Of course, someone like a Shami needs no guidance. But it is always useful to have a connection or understanding of what they are planning to do," said Solanki in the pre-match virtual press conference.

Hardik has learned from his mistakes!

(Picture Credit: Twitter/@hardikpandya7)

One of the most important characteristics of a better cricketer is his willingness to learn from his failures. With his controversial interview on a show presented by Bollywood actor/director Karan Johar at the start of the year 2020, Hardik's world was flipped upside down.

Following that, he was pulled from the Indian squad and was heavily chastised for his 'loose' comments on the show, as well as being accused of disappointing his supporters as a seasoned international cricketer. The BCCI banned the all-rounder, which was a harsh lesson for Hardik, who had become a vital commodity in Indian cricket by that point.

Hardik, on the other hand, recognised his error, apologised unconditionally, and sought to improve his behaviour both on and off the field. Two years later, after the infamous incident and battling injuries that kept him out of the national team, Hardik Pandya was named Gujarat's leader, and guess what, there was no second choice for the Titans in terms of leadership. That's what you call a comeback.

Is Hardik taking a page from MS Dhoni's playbook?

(Picture Credit: Twitter/@hardikpandya7)

MS Dhoni has had a significant impact on Hardik Pandya's cricket career. Dhoni has kept him under his wing since his debut in international cricket, guiding him through the ups and downs of competitive cricket at the highest level. Hardik may have been discovered by the Mumbai Indians, but Dhoni has made him into a gem.

The former Indian captain helped Hardik realise his full potential by acting not only as a mentor but also as an elder brother to the Gujarat native.

“I have learnt a lot from everyone and especially Mahi bhai because when I went there (Indian team), I was a raw material. They way he groomed me, the way he gave me a lot of freedom. He wanted me to learn from my own mistakes,” said Pandya to a sports journalist in an interview earlier this year in March.

“When I came there, I was like ‘Mahendra Singh Dhoni will look after everything.’ At that time, I thought why he’s not saying a lot of things. I thought he’ll tell me to bowl here or bowl there. Later, I realized he wanted me to learn on my own so, I can survive more,” added the all-rounder.

Hardik exudes self-assurance and confidence. That was always there, even before I became close to MSD. The only difference is that, like his guru, Dhoni, he now knows how to hold his cool under pressure.

Take these two examples: from yelling at pacer Md. Shami for a missed catch against Sunrisers Hyderabad, a match in which Gujarat also suffered their first loss of the season, to expressing his emotions but not overreacting to them after Rashid Khan misjudged Virat Kohli's catch off his own bowling at the Wankhede, which was also GT's last league game ending in a loss, Hardik has begun to mature as a leader.

One part of captaincy that cannot be taught but must be learned is earning the respect of your teammates. This is only possible through speaking up for your teammates, making them feel at peace inside the team structure, and ensuring that an individual is given enough opportunity to establish themselves before dropping or pursuing a skill. As a captain, Hardik has checked off the majority of the boxes this season.

Hardik—an alternative for Team India's T20I captaincy?

(Picutre Credit: Twitter/@hardikpandya7)

Hardik's best friend in Team India, KL Rahul, has been picked as the T20 captain for the forthcoming home series against South Africa. In terms of Tests and ODIs, he is also the national selectors' top pick as Rohit Sharma's deputy. Captaincy of India across formats is arguably the most difficult job in international cricket right now. Hardik's emergence as a prominent candidate for the T20 format provides selectors with more than just an option going forward.

He would be tested at times, but the good news is that he is prepared for hard times, but not before, as he stated in his video at the start of the season, giving his all.

Hardik is dedicated to leading the Gujarat Titans to the pinnacle of sporting glory, which is something that every cricketer and team strives for. From promising young talent in Mumbai to Captain Hardik Pandya at Gujarat Titans, the Gujarat-born cricketer has had a memorable journey. One can only hope that his career as a team captain continues not only for the Titans but also for Team India.

Gujarat Titans and other Hardik Pandya supporters have only one message for IPL teams in the playoffs: Aava De!

(The author has extensive experience writing sports content for broadcast and multimedia platforms. He has also been a top journalist covering the IPL since 2012.)