IPL 2022: Sunil Gavaskar draws parallels between Rohit Sharma and Hardik Pandya

Debutants
Gujarat
Titans
have
emerged
as
a
force
to
reckon
with
in
IPL
2022
and
skipper
Hardik
has
led
the
team
from
the
front.

And
the
original
little
master
reckons
the
role
of
captaincy
is
doing
the
same
thing
to
Hardik
as
it
did
to
Rohit
back
in
2013
when
the
Mumbaikar
was
appointed
the
captain.

IPL
2022
SPECIAL
PAGE

“What
I
see
with
Hardik
is
exactly
what
happened
to
Rohit
Sharma
when
he
first
got
the
captaincy
of
Mumbai
Indians
midway
through
the
season
(in
IPL
2013).
Suddenly
(we
saw)
Rohit
Sharma
from
playing
those
lovely
cameos
of
40s,
50s,
and
60s
now
staying
right
till
the
end
and
taking
responsibility,”
Gavaskar
said
on
the

Cricket
Live
show
on

Star
Sports,
the
official
broadcaster
of
IPL
2022.

The
Rohit-led
MI,
still
searching
for
an
elusive
win
in
IPL
2022,
take
on
Sanju
Samson-led
Rajasthan
Royals
in
Match
44
at
the
DY
Patil
Stadium
in
Navi
Mumbai
on
Saturday
(April
30).

IPL
2022,
RR
vs
MI
Stats
and
Records
Preview:
Chahal
and
Pollard
close
in
on
milestones

The
match
being
the
second
of
the
weekend
double-header
will
start
at
7.30pm.

Gavaskar
added
that
when
captaincy
was
handed
to
Rohit,
the
responsibility
transformed
the
latter
into
a
much-improved
batter
and
also
a
leader
and
Hardik
is
showing
similar
signs.

IPL
2022:
RR
vs
MI
Dream11
Prediction,
Fantasy
Tips,
Possible
Playing
11,
Match
Prediction

“His
shot
selections
became
much
better
(with
his
captaincy).
Similarly,
you
can
see
that
happening
with
Hardik,
his
shot
selection
is
absolutely
terrific,”
Gavaskar
said.

The
Hardik-led
Gujarat
Titans
take
on
Royal
Challengers
Bangalore
at
the
Brabourne
Stadium
in
the
first
match
of
the
day
at
3.30pm.

IPL
2022,
GT
vs
RCB
Stats,
Records
Preview:
Numbers
at
Brabourne
Stadium,
Karthik,
Hardik
eye
big
records

Gavaskar
added
that
Pandya’s
fielding
abilities
make
him
a
complete
package.

“Of
course,
he’s
an
outstanding
fielder
and
(that
was
the
case
with)
Rohit
Sharma,
he
was
a
brilliant
fielder
in
the
covers
and
close-in
as
well
(in
those
days).
So
Hardik
is
showing
those
qualities
too
and
that’s
why
Gujarat
Titans
are
doing
so
well.”

Meanwhile,
former,
Indian
leg-spinner
Piyush
Chawla
praised
Hardik
for
batting
with
maturity
in
the
top-order
as
he
is
looking
to
take
his
game
deep
and
even
finishing
matches
for
his
team.

“The
way
Hardik
has
batted
is
commendable
and
he
is
taking
a
lot
of
responsibility.
Earlier
he
used
to
bat
at
number
5
and
6
but
now
he’s
batting
at
number
3
and
4
and
so
it’s
good
to
see
him
do
well.
He’s
looking
in
control,
there
are
no
signs
of
panic.

IPL
2022:
GT
vs
RCB
Dream11
Prediction,
Fantasy
Tips,
Possible
Playing
11,
Match
Prediction

He’s
looking
to
bat
deep,
he
knows
that
if
he
stays
till
the
end
then
he
can
recover
his
strike
rate
if
at
all
there
is
a
dip
in
the
middle
stages.
He’s
looking
very
mature
as
a
batter,”
Chawla
said.

At
the
same
time,
former
Indian
batter
Mohammad
Kaif
opined
it
is
wrong
to
call
Hardik
a
slogger
because
the
Baroda
all-rounder
has
sound
batting
technique
and
possesses
all
the
shots
in
his
armoury.

“He’s
not
a
slogger
at
all.
He
has
a
strong
base
and
a
good
batting
technique.
He
plays
brilliant
cover
drives
and
pull
shots.
He’s
equally
good
against
the
spinners
and
plays
grounded
at
ease
and
hits
all
around
the
ground.
These
are
signs
of
a
good
batter,
not
a
slogger,
his
basics
are
clear.”