IPL 2022: Hardik Pandya can replicate Gujarat Titans form for Team India: Mohammad Kaif

Bengaluru, May 27: Former India cricketer Mohammad Kaif believes Hardik Pandya's sublime form with the bat and ball in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 bodes well not just for Gujarat Titans' skipper but also for Team India.

In his debut season as IPL captain, Hardik has led debutants Gujarat Titans from the front, leading the team to the finals.

Kaif believes his good form will also auger well for Team India in the upcoming five-match T20I series against South Africa also.

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""The Indian cricket team missed Hardik Pandya a lot. He is in his element now, and he can contribute fully to the team's success. He was a finisher for Mumbai Indians, but once he took over as the captain of Gujarat Titans, he took the challenge of batting at No. 4 and delivered match after match," Kaif said on Cricket Live show on Star Sports, the official broadcaster of IPL 2022.

The Titans became the first team to qualify for IPL 2022 final after beating Rajasthan Royals (RR) by seven wickets in the Qualifier 1 tie at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata.

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Chasing a stiff 189 for a win on a tricky Eden wicket, Hardik played the role of an anchor with an unbeaten 40, while David Miller finished off in style with 68 not out from 38 balls.

Kaif added that Hardik's return is great news for Team India ahead of the upcoming T20I series against South Africa.

"He's batting exceedingly well and looking disciplined with the ball too. These are good signs for Indian cricket."

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In the final at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Sunday, Titans, under Pandya, will take on the winner of the second Qualifier between RR and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB).

Released by Mumbai Indians, Hardik was picked by the Gujarat-based franchise in the IPL 2022 auction for Rs 15 crore ahead of this IPL season.

Questions were raised when he was handed captaincy for a team making its debut, but Pandya has delivered, be it with the bat, ball or in his 'Captain Cool' demeanour, much like his mentor MS Dhoni.

Mostly coming at number four, Pandya is at the fifth spot in the chart for most prolific batters this season, with 453 runs at a 45-plus average and a healthy strike rate of 132.84.

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Pandya has also come handy with the ball, giving crucial breakthroughs for his team. He has bowled 26.3 overs so far and taken five wickets with an economy of 7.73.

"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," Pandya had said in the virtual media interaction after the win over RR, about his recipe for success in this IPL.

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"For me in my life, and in my cricketing journey, it was important to give that 10-second extra rather than rushing in," he added.

The real test for Hardik will come on Sunday in front of a record crowd at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.