Hardik Pandya shows off Gujarat Titans pendant from entrepreneur Veer Pahariya

Gujarat Titans won their maiden IPL title after beating Rajasthan Royals at the Narendra Modi Stadium on May 29. It was GT skipper Hardik Pandya who led from the front in the biggest game of IPL 2022. Pandya was adjudged the Player of the Match for his all-round heroics. Titan’s skipper recently took to social media to exhibit a gift from entrepreneur Veera Pahariya.

Hardik was one of the most consistent players of the tournament, with 487 runs to his name in 15 matches, averaging an impressive 44.27. He capped off his brilliant campaign with a stellar display in the finale as he scalped three important wickets of Jos Buttler, Sanju Samson, and Shimron Hetmyer.

The all-rounder was seen flaunting a customised Gujarat Titans pendant in his Instagram story, with ‘IPL 2022 Champions’ engraved on the back of the pendant. His post read, “Thank you my brother @veerpahariya6 loved it so much.”

Would’ve been nice to have him in our team: Hardik’s former coach Shane Bond

The right-hander was influential throughout the season for the Titans and his former side Mumbai Indians would have dearly missed the services of their former player this season as they finished a the bottom of the points table. Mumbai’s bowling coach Shane Bond shared his thoughts on the mercurial all-rounder’s impeccable season in IPL 2022.

“Hardik is a pretty cool captain. He came to the IPL to Mumbai in my first season, so we spent a lot of time together. It was probably a foreign role for him to step up as a leader for a different franchise, but he did a great job. From my perspective, I miss him. It would have been nice to have him around on our team because he is a quality player. India needs him too for the World Cup because he showed what a quality player he is and also what a good leader he is,” Bond told Sportskeeda.

The Indian team will hope that Pandya can maintain his fitness as he will be crucial for their bid at the T20 World Cup in Australia later this year.