"Want to emulate MS Dhoni, it is going to be one hell of a ride!" - GT skipper Hardik Pandya makes bold statement ahead of IPL 2022

Gujarat Titans (GT) skipper Hardik Pandya is in high spirits ahead of his captaincy debut in the IPL 2022 season. The 28-year-old is excited to lead a new franchise and has assured his fans that the entire team will give their best on the field.

In a video posted by GT on YouTube, Pandya was seen giving a special message to his fans ahead of their first game against the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) on Monday. Here's what he had to say:

"Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking, captain Hardik Pandya. The feel is new, but the field is also new. But listen, I am not going to tell you where I came from, you probably know that. I will tell you where I am taking you to. It's towards that peak called 'sporting success'."

Hardik Pandya also spoke about how he wanted to emulate the success of the IPL and Indian legends like MS Dhoni and Sachin Tendulkar. He added:

"That sweet lofty spot, where grit lives with the grind, labor leads to luck. It is a range that my brother (MS Dhoni) has scaled and I have made no attempts to hide that I want to emulate him. It's a place that my hero (Sachin Tendulkar) has owned and told me stories of how he got there."

---

"I have survived a national storm, I know what it takes" - Hardik Pandya

Hardik Pandya accepted that it might not always be smooth sailing for GT as there are bound to be ups and downs. But he also stressed on how he went through some difficult phases in his life and came out with flying colors. He stated:

"It is a journey which will pit me sometimes against my sibling, my soulmate and many of my closest friends. And like every flight, this too may have turbulence. But hey, look at me. If I have survived being in a national storm, a ban, a gruelling back injury and more, I know what it takes."

Lastly, Pandya spoke about how he wants to instill his fearless attitude and the mentality of a match-winner in his entire IPL team. He concluded by saying:

"Confidence, flamboyance, I just know that when I walk in, bat in my hand, my opponents get tiny little chills in their spine, knowing that I can pull off a heist from anywhere. And here's the best part, now I am shaping the whole team to be like that. So wear your seat belts, I assure you it is going to be a hell of a ride. Aava de!"

GT will certainly be tested against LSG, who look like one of the most balanced sides in the IPL on paper.

Click here to view the orange cap in IPL.