Led by Hardik Pandya, Gujarat Titans (GT) won the IPL 2022 title in their debut season with a 7-wicket victory over Rajasthan Royals (RR) in Ahmedabad.
Hardik Pandya, who led the Gujarat Titans to their first Indian Premier League (IPL) championship on their debut season, was written off by most cricket enthusiasts after his dismal show both with the bat and ball in recent months. However, the all-rounder capped off a dream campaign in this year's T20 tournament to lead GT to their maiden title with a 7-wicket win over Rajasthan Royals in the grand finale on Sunday. And Pandya's wife Natasa Stankovic has chosen to use this opportunity to send her hubby's critics one of the strongest warnings, perhaps.
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Taking to Instagram, the Serbian dancer and actress expressed her joy over her husband's team, Gujarat Titans, clinching the coveted title. "This man and this team (red heart). Thank you for an incredible season," she wrote along with a video of Pandya delivering a monologue before the start of IPL 2022.
"Don't underestimate my Kung Fu Pandya," warned a proud wife, who also shared a selfie with the Gujarat Titians skipper after the team created history at Ahmedabad's Narendra Modi Stadium.
"This title is going to be a special one because we talked about creating a legacy. The coming generations will talk about it," the IPL 2022 winning captain Pandya said. "Everyone will remember this was the team who started this journey, and to win the championship first year is very special," he added.
Pandya's eagerness to learn as captain, his ability to effectively engage with his teammates and his all-around show with both the bat and the ball have contributed massively to Gujarat Titans' title-winning run on IPL debut.
Team mentor Gary Kirsten, who coached India to the 2011 World Cup title, praised the skipper, who excelled in the team's first season. "He has been fantastic. I've loved working with him. He's a high-profile player in India, but he's incredibly humble, wanting to learn as a leader and engage with his players, which I think is really, really important. He's tried to help the youngsters. He's come in and played a different responsibility," he told the IPL host broadcaster.