First season as captain, Hardik Pandya has led the Gujarat Titans to the final of their maiden IPL campaign. The team, on Tuesday, defeated the Rajasthan Royals in the Qualifier 1. 

Pandya has played four IPL finals till date – 2015, 2017, 2019 and 2020 – all with the Mumbai Indians. He has been on the winning side on each occassion. This year, he will look to extend hs record in different colours. 

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Against RR, Gujarat were reduced to 85/3 in the 10 over when Pandya (40 off 27) and David Miller (58 off 38) stitched a 106-run stand in 60 balls to chase 189 runs with three balls to spare. The table-toppers needed 16 runs off the last over when the Protea had-hitter smashed Prasidh Krishna for three consecutive maximums. 

Praising Miller, Pandya, in a virtual post-match press conference, said, When Miller came, I had to make sure that I kind of take pressure off him, and score quick runs and you saw what Miller did after he got set.”

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Miller had scored 10 runs in his first 14 balls. His next 58 came in 24. The South African has made 449 runs in 15 games this season at a whopping average of 64.14 and strike rate of 141.19.

“I am genuinely proud of the way he (Miller) has lifted his game. He is genuinely a damn good, wonderful guy. I was proud to play with him, enjoy it. I always wanted good things to happen to him,” Pandya added. 

The Gujarat Titans skipper, who is the fifth-highest run-getter in IPL 2022, comes in at No 4 for his side. Pandya has scored 453 runs at a 45-plus average and a healthy strike rate of 132.84 so far. He has also taken five wickets at an economy of 7.73. 

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“Before the captaincy as well, I always made sure that I approached all the situations in a cool-headed way. Generally, you make better decisions that way,” he said about his recipe for success in this IPL.

“For me in my life, and in my cricketing journey, it was important to give that 10-second extra rather than rushing in. It was very simple for me. I’ve been in this kind of situation before as well. I try to make sure that I’m neutral and calm. It helps to make the right decision,” Pandya said.