IPL final an opportunity for captain Hardik Pandya to show 'how quickly he has learned': Sunil Gavaskar

Hardik Pandya’s Gujarat Titans qualified for their second IPL final in as many seasons on Friday with a 62-run win over Mumbai Indians. GT are the first team in IPL to reach two finals in their first two seasons.

Pandya’s Gujarat will face MS Dhoni’s Chennai Super Kings in the final on 28 May.

After Gujarat’s historic feat, Sunil Gavaskar praised captain Hardik Pandya for leading his team to the IPL 2023 final and said that the all-rounder’s ability to bring calmness to his side is reminiscent of MS Dhoni.

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“He (Hardik) has been very open about his admiration and affection for MSD, just like all those who have followed MSD’s career. When they go out to the toss, they will be very friendly and smiling all that. But when it comes to the match, it will be a completely different atmosphere. It’s a very good opportunity from Hardik Pandya to show how quickly he has learned,” Gavaskar said on Star Sports.

“When he was captaining for the first time last year, nobody knew what to expect because he has been one of the most exciting cricketers as well. But that excitable part, we have seen over the last year. The calmness that he brings into the team is reminiscent of MSD. This is a happy team, which is exactly what we see with CSK as well. Hardik has to take a lot of credit for that.”

Read | Gill, Mohit help GT thrash MI by 62 runs

Gavaskar also did not forget to credit GT coach and former India cricketer Ashish Nehra for his contributions to the team’s rise.

“I would not want to miss Ashish Nehra. He is one person, when he is in the change room or the comm box, you cannot but be laughing. He makes life look so easy and he has got one of the sharpest cricketing brains,” Gavaskar added.

Talking about the final, the former India captain said that CSK will be aware that they have a “real fight’ on their hands given how GT dominated the league phase.

“They (GT) have always been a top-class team. Look at the way they have topped the table. They finished with 20 points, 3 more than Chennai Super Kings. It tells you how Gujarat Titans dominated in the league stages. It should not be a surprise that they reached the final. They have played champions cricket.

“And that’s why there are in the final. CSK know that they have a real, real fight in their hands.”

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