In his new avatar as Gujarat Titans skipper, a fit-again Hardik Pandya on Sunday claimed his bowling would be a “surprise” element in the upcoming Indian Premier League. Hardik will return to the IPL after a nearly six-month break from cricket. Hardik Pandya was present at the Narendra Modi stadium in Ahmedabad where Gujarat Titans unveiled their jersey ahead of their debut season in the IPL. Hardik Pandya said that whether he bowls or not in the upcoming IPL season will remain a surprise. He was picked by Gujarat for 15 crores in the draft and also appointed as the skipper of the side. Along with him the franchise picked Shubman Gill and Rashid Khan as their other two picks. They later added 20 players in the mega auction building together a strong squad.
When asked about whether he would bowl again, Hardik said it would be a surprise. “Sir, it would be a surprise, so let it be a surprise,” said the all-rounder on the sidelines of the jersey launch. Pandya also kept a word about captaincy and how he would lead the squad in the upcoming IPL season. This is the first time Hardik is leading a team in any capacity in the IPL.“Success is theirs, failure is mine. Our role will be to make sure the players are comfortable in whatever capacity we can help them out. Clarity, honesty has to be there,” he said.“In good times they don’t need any of us. But the season will test you, there will be difficult times and that’s when we will be there to support them” he further added.The franchise opens their IPL 2022 campaign by playing against fellow newcomers Lucknow Supergiants on March 28 at the Wankhede stadium.“We want to create a culture where all the players feel at home, we want to give them a sense of security then only we can get the best out of them. We want to make them feel like they belong here. It’s about creating a new culture,” Hardik concluded saying.
