Hardik Pandya has emerged as one of the best, if not the best all-rounders in the IPL since last season. Ever since after being released by the Mumbai Indians and roped in by Gujarat Titans ahead of the IPL 2022 mega-auction and appointed their captain, fortunes have changed for the Baroda all-rounder. Or, it would be fair to say, he’s changed his fortunes.
From being unfit to bowl in the entire 2020 and 2021 seasons for Mumbai Indians, GT Skipper slogged hard on his fitness and emerged as a proper pace-bowling option in IPL 2022.
Against all odds and expectations, Pandya, along with head coach Ashish Nehra, marched the Titans to the IPL 2022 trophy, in the franchise’s debut season itself, and also got into the national team leadership group and now is touted to be the next full-time T20I skipper.
A veteran of 113 IPL matches, Pandya’s overall record is fantastic: 2091 runs with the bat at an average of 29 and a strike rate of 145 with 9 fifties. He’s promoted himself up in the order since taking over the reins at Gujarat Titans. With the ball, he’s bowling regularly in the powerplay as well. While in 9 seasons overall, he’s taken 52 wickets, 10 of those have come in the last 21 matches for the Titans.
Hardik Pandya’s record vs KKR is stunning:
Hardik Pandya will come face to face with an opposition he likes playing against – Kolkata Knight Riders. Ever since his Mumbai Indians days, Hardik has loved playing against KKR, and especially at the Eden Gardens.
In 11 innings vs KKR, Pandya has scored 366 runs at a jaw-dropping average of 61 and a terrific strike rate of 173 with 3 fifties in 11 knocks and has remained unbeaten 5 times! His best score against the Knight Riders is also his best score in the IPL: 91 off only 34 balls at the Eden. Against the 2-time IPL champions, Hardik has also snapped up 11 wickets, which is the most he’s taken against any single opposition in the IPL.
He has equally impressive numbers at the Eden Gardens, the den of KKR: in 6 knocks, he’s clattered 160 runs at a strike rate of 181 with a best of 91. Hardik Pandya has made good use of the pace and bounce at this venue in taking 7 wickets in 18 overs, the second-most wickets he’s taken in a single venue in the IPL, after 24 at the Wankhede.
