Gujarat Titans and India’s T20I skipper Hardik Pandya has called Chennai Super Kings an inspiration for himself. He started his IPL career with Mumbai Indians in 2015 and played for them till 2021. During this phase, he was part of the team in their title-winning campaigns in 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2020. Ahead of the 2022 mega auction, Pandya was released and he went on to join eventual winners, Gujarat Titans.
He led the side to their maiden title win in their debut season. This year, they are looking to defend the title, a feat only achieved by his former side MI and CSK. Meanwhile, the Gujarat player has called the four-time winners, CSK an inspirational side citing them as being able to bring the best out of their players. However, the fans are reminding him that the all-rounder started his IPL career with MI.
This is how Twitter reacted
Yeh dhoni ka kitna leta hai bhai bas kr abhi
— VIRAT KA BHAKT ??? (parody) (@Viratfandom_18_) May 5, 2023
Pandya:MS Bond is different
— ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?arey Dillipuuu???? (@TheDileep7) May 5, 2023
Hardik pandya jis thali me khaya usme hi ched kiya
— Harsh (@Imhro_45) May 5, 2023
Bro forgot about his ex team
— ?? (@DEVIL_VK18) May 5, 2023
Howwwwwww! MI nhi bolaaaa… Arey flex kar tu bhi trophy Jeeta hai ?
— Varnata Singh (@VarnataS18) May 5, 2023
bodied mumbai indians
— Nikhil (@Attitudist) May 5, 2023
We are going to own tinpot Pandya s team today
— Adityaraj Mohite (@aditya_raj1920) May 5, 2023
2days back Krunal, now Hardik
Mumbai indian players loyalty towards CSK???
— krishna (@Krishna_Kal_El) May 5, 2023
Dhoni All ?
— Vishwajit Patil (@_VishwajitPatil) May 5, 2023
personal preferences are there. now hardik was unsold in both 2014 and 15 in auction.mi got him in last round in 10 lakhs.also he wasn't sure of even playing.mi gave him a chance and he grabbed onto it due to his merit. now i don't really no how he feels csk does it better.???
— Yash (@RinaKum43107302) May 5, 2023
We are sorry for Mohammed Shami: Hardik Pandya
Meanwhile, the defending champions lost their previous game against last-placed Delhi Capitals by five runs. Despite Mohammed Shami taking four wickets inside the powerplay, the team failed to close out the innings. Skipper Pandya scored a fifty but in vain.
During the post-match presentation, he said: “I tried my best but could not capitalize. It boils down to me. It boils down to how I was not able to finish the game. Full marks to their bowlers as well and full ownership for my side where I could not finish the game. I should’ve.”
“I feel sorry for him. If you bowl like that, then you get the team on 129, I think batters disappointed. I don’t think the ball did a lot. I think it’s just that Mohammed Shami’s skill set which he has and he made the ball talk. Otherwise, I think for fast bowlers, the wicket did not have much assistance. But the way he bowled four on the trot and got us in the game, full credit,” Pandya said about Shami.
