A lot pf speculations were there over Hardik Pandya ahead of the IPL 2022 edition. Having not played for Team India since the 2021 T20 World Cup, the star all-rounder was preparing himself for the 15th IPL season, in a bid to showcase his fitness and return to the Indian white-ball squads.

In the ongoing IPL season, the 28-year-old Hardik has stunned one and all with his all-round blitz and captaincy. Leading for the first time, Hardik has led with aplomb to take the debutant franchise Gujarat Titans (GT) to the final. With the bat, he has amassed 453 runs -- his best in any season -- and has bowled some tidy overs and accounted for five scalps. Thus, his stocks as a captain has risen and the all-rounder is in-line to lead India's second-stringed T20I side for the upcoming Ireland tour. It is to be noted that Rohit Sharma-Rahul Dravid pair will be involved with the Test line-up, at the same time, for the one-off match versus England.

“Hardik has been impressive. What is more satisfying is that he has become a very responsible player as a captain. He is certainly in the scheme of things for the captaincy role for the Ireland tour,”&nbsp;a member of the selection committee was quoted as saying by&nbsp;InsideSport.

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ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/bcci-secretary-jay-shah-confirms-vvs-laxman-to-be-in-charge-of-indias-t20i-side-for-ireland-series-482148">BCCI secretary Jay Shah confirms VVS Laxman to be in charge of India's T20I side for Ireland series</a>

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Thus, Hardik could lead India for the first time in any format during the Ireland T20Is, which will get underway on June 26. Moreover, BCCI has confirmed that VVS Laxman -- the NCA chief -- will fill in for regular coach Dravid and be in charge of India for the Ireland series. "He will travel with the Indian team to Dublin" said Jay Shah, the BCCI Secretary.
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At present, Hardik-led Gujarat is in the IPL 2022 final and will play the winner of Qualifier 2, which will see Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) face Rajasthan Royals (RR).
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A lot pf speculations were there over Hardik Pandya ahead of the IPL 2022 edition. Having not played for Team India since the 2021 T20 World Cup, the star all-rounder was preparing himself for the 15th IPL season, in a bid to showcase his fitness and return to the Indian white-ball squads.

A lot pf speculations were there over Hardik Pandya ahead of the IPL 2022 edition. Having not played for Team India since the 2021 T20 World Cup, the star all-rounder was preparing himself for the 15th IPL season, in a bid to showcase his fitness and return to the Indian white-ball squads. In the ongoing IPL season, the 28-year-old Hardik has stunned one and all with his all-round blitz and captaincy. Leading for the first time, Hardik has led with aplomb to take the debutant franchise Gujarat Titans (GT) to the final. With the bat, he has amassed 453 runs -- his best in any season -- and has bowled some tidy overs and accounted for five scalps. Thus, his stocks as a captain has risen and the all-rounder is in-line to lead India's second-stringed T20I side for the upcoming Ireland tour. It is to be noted that Rohit Sharma-Rahul Dravid pair will be involved with the Test line-up, at the same time, for the one-off match versus England. “Hardik has been impressive. What is more satisfying is that he has become a very responsible player as a captain. He is certainly in the scheme of things for the captaincy role for the Ireland tour,” a member of the selection committee was quoted as saying by InsideSport. ALSO READ | BCCI secretary Jay Shah confirms VVS Laxman to be in charge of India's T20I side for Ireland series Thus, Hardik could lead India for the first time in any format during the Ireland T20Is, which will get underway on June 26. Moreover, BCCI has confirmed that VVS Laxman -- the NCA chief -- will fill in for regular coach Dravid and be in charge of India for the Ireland series. "He will travel with the Indian team to Dublin" said Jay Shah, the BCCI Secretary. At present, Hardik-led Gujarat is in the IPL 2022 final and will play the winner of Qualifier 2, which will see Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) face Rajasthan Royals (RR).

Hardik Pandya's captaincy stocks on the rise, star player could lead Team India in Ireland T20Is: Report

The first half of match 67 of the IPL 2022 edition&nbsp;between the Gujarat Titans (GT) and the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) saw a huge controversy when Aussie left-hander Matthew Wade was given out in a debatable manner. The swashbuckling left-hander hasn't had a great run in the 15th season and, hence, he was desperato to break the shakles and go big versus the RCB before the playoffs.

Coming out to bat at No. 3, after the dismissal of Shubman Gill, Wade looked in good touch as he got a start and was on 16 off 12 deliveries. However, in the sixth over, Wade went for a sweep off Glenn Maxwell but missed the line of the ball and while it seemed he had got an edge onto the pad, the umpire gave him out. Nonetheless, Wade looked confident and took the decision upstairs which led to a shocker for him.&nbsp;

Interestingly, UltraEdge showed no spike as it passed the bat and the ball tracking showed the ball hitting the middle and off stump. Thus, the decision stayed as Wade was livid and made the long walk back to the pavillion furiously. The 34-year-old vented out his frustation as he entered the dressing room, throwing his helmet and smashing his bat on several&nbsp;occasions. Here's the video:

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Angry Matthew Wade.. 
 
Tod fod diya BAT ko<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RCBvGT?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RCBvGT</a> <a href="https://t.co/MBeLg5vDSr">pic.twitter.com/MBeLg5vDSr</a>
— KATTAR VIRAT BHAKT × TIGER 🚩 (@AbinashTiwari_1) <a href="https://twitter.com/AbinashTiwari_1/status/1527297962203762691?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 19, 2022</a></blockquote>
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ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-virat-kohli-on-verge-of-achieving-major-milestone-as-rcb-face-gt-in-a-must-win-tie-480386">IPL 2022: Virat Kohli on verge of achieving major milestone as RCB face GT in a must-win tie</a>

After his dismissal, Gujarat also lost in-form opener Wriddhiman Saha (31) before skipper Hardik's 47-ball 62* and vice-captain Rashid Khan's 6-ball 19 not out propelled the team total to 168-5. RCB need to win at any cost but still won't have guaranteed a spot in the playoffs as they will have to wait for other results. GT, on the other hand, are assured of a top-spot finish.

The first half of match 67 of the IPL 2022 edition between the Gujarat Titans (GT) and the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) saw a huge controversy when Aussie left-hander Matthew Wade was given out in a debatable manner.

The first half of match 67 of the IPL 2022 edition between the Gujarat Titans (GT) and the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) saw a huge controversy when Aussie left-hander Matthew Wade was given out in a debatable manner. The swashbuckling left-hander hasn't had a great run in the 15th season and, hence, he was desperato to break the shakles and go big versus the RCB before the playoffs. Coming out to bat at No. 3, after the dismissal of Shubman Gill, Wade looked in good touch as he got a start and was on 16 off 12 deliveries. However, in the sixth over, Wade went for a sweep off Glenn Maxwell but missed the line of the ball and while it seemed he had got an edge onto the pad, the umpire gave him out. Nonetheless, Wade looked confident and took the decision upstairs which led to a shocker for him. Interestingly, UltraEdge showed no spike as it passed the bat and the ball tracking showed the ball hitting the middle and off stump. Thus, the decision stayed as Wade was livid and made the long walk back to the pavillion furiously. The 34-year-old vented out his frustation as he entered the dressing room, throwing his helmet and smashing his bat on several occasions. Here's the video: Angry Matthew Wade.. Tod fod diya BAT ko#RCBvGT pic.twitter.com/MBeLg5vDSr — KATTAR VIRAT BHAKT × TIGER 🚩 (@AbinashTiwari_1) May 19, 2022 × ALSO READ | IPL 2022: Virat Kohli on verge of achieving major milestone as RCB face GT in a must-win tie After his dismissal, Gujarat also lost in-form opener Wriddhiman Saha (31) before skipper Hardik's 47-ball 62* and vice-captain Rashid Khan's 6-ball 19 not out propelled the team total to 168-5. RCB need to win at any cost but still won't have guaranteed a spot in the playoffs as they will have to wait for other results. GT, on the other hand, are assured of a top-spot finish.

GT vs RCB: Matthew Wade goes bonkers, throws helmet and smashes bat after controversial dismissal - WATCH

The IPL 2022 edition is in its business end as the league stage is coming to an end. With each passing day and after every match, the playoffs scenario is getting interesting. While as many as four teams -- outside the top-four -- are tied on 10 points whereas Rajasthan Royals (RR) and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) are in the third and fourth place respectively, newcomers&nbsp;Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and Gujarat Titans (GT) have exceeded expectations and are in the top two spots, respectively, after match 56.

Both Gujarat and Lucknow&nbsp;are almost on the brink of qualifying for the playoffs. They will meet in the reverse fixture on Tuesday evening (May 10) and the winner will become the first team to enter the IPL 15 playoffs. Ahead of the marquee encounter, former off-spinner Harbhajan Singh feels Hardik Pandya-led Gujarat will become the first side to attain a playoffs berth this season with a win over Lucknow.

"Gujarat Titans are going to win the match against Lucknow Super Giants and they will become the first team to qualify. The Hardik Pandya-led side is very strong. Rashid Khan is in great form and coach Ashish Nehra is giving them just the right amount of confidence. This team is difficult to beat," Harbhajan said on Cricket Live show on Star Sports.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/gt-vs-lsg-ipl-2022-prediction-today-who-will-win-gujarat-titans-vs-lucknow-super-giants-match-477843">GT vs LSG, IPL 2022 prediction today: Who will win Gujarat Titans vs Lucknow Super Giants match?</a>

Gujarat and Lucknow had locked horns in match 4 of the IPL 2022 edition, at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. Being asked to bat first, Lucknow posted 158-6 and lost the clash by five wickets in what was a tight contest. Another thrilling battle is expected between both sides on Tuesday evening.

Lucknow is coming to this clash on the back of a four-match winning streak whereas Gujarat have lost two in a row and, hence, will be desperate to return to winning ways and qualify for the playoffs.

The IPL 2022 edition is in its business end as the league stage is coming to an end. With each passing day and after every match, the playoffs scenario is getting interesting.

The IPL 2022 edition is in its business end as the league stage is coming to an end. With each passing day and after every match, the playoffs scenario is getting interesting. While as many as four teams -- outside the top-four -- are tied on 10 points whereas Rajasthan Royals (RR) and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) are in the third and fourth place respectively, newcomers Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and Gujarat Titans (GT) have exceeded expectations and are in the top two spots, respectively, after match 56. Both Gujarat and Lucknow are almost on the brink of qualifying for the playoffs. They will meet in the reverse fixture on Tuesday evening (May 10) and the winner will become the first team to enter the IPL 15 playoffs. Ahead of the marquee encounter, former off-spinner Harbhajan Singh feels Hardik Pandya-led Gujarat will become the first side to attain a playoffs berth this season with a win over Lucknow. "Gujarat Titans are going to win the match against Lucknow Super Giants and they will become the first team to qualify. The Hardik Pandya-led side is very strong. Rashid Khan is in great form and coach Ashish Nehra is giving them just the right amount of confidence. This team is difficult to beat," Harbhajan said on Cricket Live show on Star Sports. ALSO READ | GT vs LSG, IPL 2022 prediction today: Who will win Gujarat Titans vs Lucknow Super Giants match? Gujarat and Lucknow had locked horns in match 4 of the IPL 2022 edition, at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. Being asked to bat first, Lucknow posted 158-6 and lost the clash by five wickets in what was a tight contest. Another thrilling battle is expected between both sides on Tuesday evening. Lucknow is coming to this clash on the back of a four-match winning streak whereas Gujarat have lost two in a row and, hence, will be desperate to return to winning ways and qualify for the playoffs.

Gujarat Titans or Lucknow Super Giants? Harbhajan reveals which team will be the 1st to qualify for playoffs

The 15th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) was keenly awaited. The excitement for each year's edition knows no boundaries. This time around, it went a level up as the ardent cricket fans welcomed the two debutant teams in the form of Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and Gujarat Titans (GT) in the cash-rich league.

The BCCI decided to expand the league by adding two more teams with an aim to give more opportunities to youngsters, some big names who often got sidelined and&nbsp;fans plenty more to cheer for. While a nervy start was expected from both Gujarat and Lucknow in IPL 2022, the two teams have taken the 15th season by storm and have announced their arrivals with a bang. Both GT and LSG have been the giant killers of IPL 2022, surpassing some big teams and surprising many without breaking much sweat.

1) Team compositions

Complete squad of Gujarat Titans for IPL 2022:

Rahmanullah Gurbaz,&nbsp;Abhinav Sadarangani, David Miller, Wriddhiman Saha, Matthew Wade, Mohammed Shami, Lockie Ferguson, Noor Ahmad, R Sai Kishore, Yash Dayal,&nbsp;Alzarri Joseph, Pradeep Sangwan, Varun Aaron, Rahul Tewatia, Dominic Drakes, Jayant Yadav, Vijay Shankar, Darshan Nalkande, Gurkeerat Singh Mann,&nbsp;Sai Sudarshan

Complete squad of Lucknow Super Giants for IPL 2022

KL Rahul, Marcus Stoinis, Ravi Bishnoi, Quinton de Kock (wk), Manish Pandey, Manan Vohra, Evin Lewis, Jason Holder, Deepak Hooda, Krunal Pandya, K Gowtham, Ayush Badoni, Kyle Mayers, Karan Sharma, Mark Wood, Avesh Khan, Ankit Rajpoot,&nbsp;Dushmantha Chameera, Shahbaz Nadeem, Mohsin Khan, Mayank Yadav

Looking at both squads, it is safe to say that the newbies didn't get bogged down in the two-day mega auction, held in mid-February. They came with a clear plan: to fill their squads with multi-dimensional players,&nbsp;seasoned bowlers, a mix of domestic talents and foreign players. Their smart team composition is helping them reap rewards in the IPL 2022 edition so far.

2) Newness, fresh minds, new captains

Starting from scratch often helps, especially if it is going the distance in a big-ticket T20 tournament like the IPL. Both Gujarat and Lucknow have benefitted from a fresh and positive dressing room environment created since the beginning of the 15th season. With the leadership group being expanded in Team India, Hardik Pandya and KL Rahul have also put their best foot forward to showcase their credentials as GT and LSG skippers, respectively.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/dewlad-brevis-to-liam-livingstone-batters-with-biggest-sixes-in-ipl-2022-so-far-471945">Dewlad Brevis to Liam Livingstone: Batters with biggest sixes in IPL 2022 so far</a>

Meanwhile, the inclusions of Ashish Nehra, Gary Kirsten (for Gujarat) and Gautam Gambhir, Andy Bichel, Andy Flower (for Lucknow) in the coaching setup have led to&nbsp;role clarity for players, keeping things simple, sticking to basics, resorting to smart and tactical matchups. The presence of such stalwarts have given enough cushion to both the young captains and their respective players.

3) Playing fearlessly, without any past baggage

Both Lucknow and Gujarat have expressed themselves freely on the field, having no past baggage. While it helped both sides to settle their nerves by locking horns with each other on debut, they have only grown from strength to strength from thereon. In addition, the two teams have gained immensely with the repeated failures of two of the most successful IPL teams; i.e. Mumbai Indians (MI) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK).

GT and LSG&nbsp;in IPL 2022 (after match 31):

Gujarat playing like 'Titans'

Played - 6 
Won - 5 
Lost - 1 
NRR - 0.395&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; 
Position - Table-toppers&nbsp;

'Super Giants' Lucknow

Played - 7 
Won - 4 
Lost - 3 
NRR - +0.124 
Position - 4th

Both sides have beaten defending champions CSK (once so far) whereas Lucknow have also beaten MI. Gujarat are yet to face MI.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-former-india-opener-names-two-franchises-who-have-lit-up-the-competition-this-year-471826">IPL 2022: Former India opener names two franchises who have 'lit up' the competition this year</a>

In IPL 2016, the then debutant and now-defunct&nbsp;Gujarat Lions (GL) had topped the points table and reached Qualifiers 2. In IPL 2017, Rising Pune Supergiant (RPS), in their second season, had qualified for the final and lost the coveted title by a run (to MI). While Gujarat (under a totally different owner) and Lucknow both have started well in their first-ever IPL season, the duo are here for the long run and not just to fill in for a few seasons. Thus, they will hope to go the distance courtesy the strong foundation laid down&nbsp;and build something special&nbsp;for themselves in the IPL, where the eight original franchises have already carved out their own space and identity.&nbsp;

For now, it is just the start. But the start surely has been promising. Let's see what else is in store for the two newbies as they strive hard to gain prominence, value and recognition&nbsp;in the cash-rich league.

The 15th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) was keenly awaited. The excitement for each year's edition knows no boundaries. This time around, it went a level up as the ardent cricket fans welcomed the two debutant teams in the form of Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and Gujarat Titans (GT) in the cash-rich league.

The 15th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) was keenly awaited. The excitement for each year's edition knows no boundaries. This time around, it went a level up as the ardent cricket fans welcomed the two debutant teams in the form of Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and Gujarat Titans (GT) in the cash-rich league. The BCCI decided to expand the league by adding two more teams with an aim to give more opportunities to youngsters, some big names who often got sidelined and fans plenty more to cheer for. While a nervy start was expected from both Gujarat and Lucknow in IPL 2022, the two teams have taken the 15th season by storm and have announced their arrivals with a bang. Both GT and LSG have been the giant killers of IPL 2022, surpassing some big teams and surprising many without breaking much sweat. 1) Team compositions Complete squad of Gujarat Titans for IPL 2022: Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Abhinav Sadarangani, David Miller, Wriddhiman Saha, Matthew Wade, Mohammed Shami, Lockie Ferguson, Noor Ahmad, R Sai Kishore, Yash Dayal, Alzarri Joseph, Pradeep Sangwan, Varun Aaron, Rahul Tewatia, Dominic Drakes, Jayant Yadav, Vijay Shankar, Darshan Nalkande, Gurkeerat Singh Mann, Sai Sudarshan Complete squad of Lucknow Super Giants for IPL 2022 KL Rahul, Marcus Stoinis, Ravi Bishnoi, Quinton de Kock (wk), Manish Pandey, Manan Vohra, Evin Lewis, Jason Holder, Deepak Hooda, Krunal Pandya, K Gowtham, Ayush Badoni, Kyle Mayers, Karan Sharma, Mark Wood, Avesh Khan, Ankit Rajpoot, Dushmantha Chameera, Shahbaz Nadeem, Mohsin Khan, Mayank Yadav Looking at both squads, it is safe to say that the newbies didn't get bogged down in the two-day mega auction, held in mid-February. They came with a clear plan: to fill their squads with multi-dimensional players, seasoned bowlers, a mix of domestic talents and foreign players. Their smart team composition is helping them reap rewards in the IPL 2022 edition so far. 2) Newness, fresh minds, new captains Starting from scratch often helps, especially if it is going the distance in a big-ticket T20 tournament like the IPL. Both Gujarat and Lucknow have benefitted from a fresh and positive dressing room environment created since the beginning of the 15th season. With the leadership group being expanded in Team India, Hardik Pandya and KL Rahul have also put their best foot forward to showcase their credentials as GT and LSG skippers, respectively. ALSO READ | Dewlad Brevis to Liam Livingstone: Batters with biggest sixes in IPL 2022 so far Meanwhile, the inclusions of Ashish Nehra, Gary Kirsten (for Gujarat) and Gautam Gambhir, Andy Bichel, Andy Flower (for Lucknow) in the coaching setup have led to role clarity for players, keeping things simple, sticking to basics, resorting to smart and tactical matchups. The presence of such stalwarts have given enough cushion to both the young captains and their respective players. 3) Playing fearlessly, without any past baggage Both Lucknow and Gujarat have expressed themselves freely on the field, having no past baggage. While it helped both sides to settle their nerves by locking horns with each other on debut, they have only grown from strength to strength from thereon. In addition, the two teams have gained immensely with the repeated failures of two of the most successful IPL teams; i.e. Mumbai Indians (MI) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK). GT and LSG in IPL 2022 (after match 31): Gujarat playing like 'Titans' Played - 6 Won - 5 Lost - 1 NRR - 0.395 Position - Table-toppers 'Super Giants' Lucknow Played - 7 Won - 4 Lost - 3 NRR - +0.124 Position - 4th Both sides have beaten defending champions CSK (once so far) whereas Lucknow have also beaten MI. Gujarat are yet to face MI. ALSO READ | IPL 2022: Former India opener names two franchises who have 'lit up' the competition this year In IPL 2016, the then debutant and now-defunct Gujarat Lions (GL) had topped the points table and reached Qualifiers 2. In IPL 2017, Rising Pune Supergiant (RPS), in their second season, had qualified for the final and lost the coveted title by a run (to MI). While Gujarat (under a totally different owner) and Lucknow both have started well in their first-ever IPL season, the duo are here for the long run and not just to fill in for a few seasons. Thus, they will hope to go the distance courtesy the strong foundation laid down and build something special for themselves in the IPL, where the eight original franchises have already carved out their own space and identity. For now, it is just the start. But the start surely has been promising. Let's see what else is in store for the two newbies as they strive hard to gain prominence, value and recognition in the cash-rich league.

How newbies Gujarat Titans, Lucknow Super Giants have been the giant-killers in IPL 2022

All eyes were on Hardik Pandya ahead of the IPL 2022 edition. There were many speculations whether he would don the role of an all-rounder or play only as a specialist batter-cum-captain for the new franchise, Gujarat Titans (GT).&nbsp;

After the opening two games for GT, Hardik has bowled his full quota of overs -- accounting for a scalp -- has shown maturity with the bat and as a leader. MSK Prasad, who was the chairman of selectors when Hardik was initially picked for Team India in early 2016, lavished praise on Hardik and said that 'wherever he does well, I feel proud like my own son has performed or done anything like that'.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/knowing-that-this-is-one-of-dinesh-karthiks-sunil-gavaskar-questions-sanju-samson-after-rr-rcb-tie-468862">'Knowing that this is one of Dinesh Karthik's...' - Sunil Gavaskar questions Sanju Samson after RR-RCB tie</a>

“Whenever he does well, I feel proud and I feel like my own son has performed or done anything like that. It was very difficult to find a great all-rounder post the legendary Kapil Dev but someone who has got skills. The beauty about this boy is that his basics are very strong. His bowling basics, batting basics, fielding basics – everything is very strong. All that he needs to understand is to keep that part between his ears in a good stead and I am sure he will grow into a wonderful allrounder,” Prasad told cricket historian and broadcaster Boria Majumdar during his YouTube show.

"Now that he is not the same chubby-bubbly sort of a Hardik. Now he's married, settled down and got an added responsibility with Gujarat Titans. I'm sure it is definitely going to help him, Titans and Indian cricket. The way he led the other day – because I was there on the ground – he was very cool, calm and the manner in which he rotated the bowlers and placed fielders, everything was spot on. Even when the wickets were taken, he maintained his composure and I like that attitude," the former selector further pointed out.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/yuvraj-is-not-one-of-those-dhoni-is-paddy-upton-feels-ex-india-captain-a-massive-high-pressure-player-468850">Yuvraj is not one of those, Dhoni is: Paddy Upton feels ex-India captain a 'massive high-pressure' player</a>

At 34, Rohit Sharma -- India's current all-format captain -- might not hold the post for a very long time. In this regard, there are few more debutant, or inexperieced,&nbsp;Indian captains in the ongoing 15th season of the cash-rich league, in India. Apart from Hardik, Mayank Agarwal and Ravindra Jadeja are&nbsp;also now to the job&nbsp;whereas the likes Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant, KL Rahul, Sanju Samson still have a lot to prove as leaders. Thus, Hardik has joined the race and is showing good signs after GT's first two encounters.

All eyes were on Hardik Pandya ahead of the IPL 2022 edition. There were many speculations whether he would don the role of an all-rounder or play only as a specialist batter-cum-captain for the new franchise, Gujarat Titans (GT).

All eyes were on Hardik Pandya ahead of the IPL 2022 edition. There were many speculations whether he would don the role of an all-rounder or play only as a specialist batter-cum-captain for the new franchise, Gujarat Titans (GT). After the opening two games for GT, Hardik has bowled his full quota of overs -- accounting for a scalp -- has shown maturity with the bat and as a leader. MSK Prasad, who was the chairman of selectors when Hardik was initially picked for Team India in early 2016, lavished praise on Hardik and said that 'wherever he does well, I feel proud like my own son has performed or done anything like that'. ALSO READ | 'Knowing that this is one of Dinesh Karthik's...' - Sunil Gavaskar questions Sanju Samson after RR-RCB tie “Whenever he does well, I feel proud and I feel like my own son has performed or done anything like that. It was very difficult to find a great all-rounder post the legendary Kapil Dev but someone who has got skills. The beauty about this boy is that his basics are very strong. His bowling basics, batting basics, fielding basics – everything is very strong. All that he needs to understand is to keep that part between his ears in a good stead and I am sure he will grow into a wonderful allrounder,” Prasad told cricket historian and broadcaster Boria Majumdar during his YouTube show. "Now that he is not the same chubby-bubbly sort of a Hardik. Now he's married, settled down and got an added responsibility with Gujarat Titans. I'm sure it is definitely going to help him, Titans and Indian cricket. The way he led the other day – because I was there on the ground – he was very cool, calm and the manner in which he rotated the bowlers and placed fielders, everything was spot on. Even when the wickets were taken, he maintained his composure and I like that attitude," the former selector further pointed out. ALSO READ | Yuvraj is not one of those, Dhoni is: Paddy Upton feels ex-India captain a 'massive high-pressure' player At 34, Rohit Sharma -- India's current all-format captain -- might not hold the post for a very long time. In this regard, there are few more debutant, or inexperieced, Indian captains in the ongoing 15th season of the cash-rich league, in India. Apart from Hardik, Mayank Agarwal and Ravindra Jadeja are also now to the job whereas the likes Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant, KL Rahul, Sanju Samson still have a lot to prove as leaders. Thus, Hardik has joined the race and is showing good signs after GT's first two encounters.

When he does well, I feel proud: MSK Prasad names India player whose success elates him

The second weekend of IPL 2022 edition saw three games being played. On Saturday (April 2), the 15th season saw its second doubleheader with Rajasthan Royals (RR)-Mumbai Indians (MI) clashing in the afternoon game, followed by Gujarat Titans (GT) taking on Delhi Capitals (DC) in the evening encounter. On Sunday (April 4), only a solitary game was held, which saw Punjab Kings (PBKS) further stretch defending champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK)'s winless streak (3).&nbsp;

While RR beat MI in the Saturday afternoon's face-off, GT also remained unbeaten with a 14-run win in a hard-fought match held at the&nbsp;Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Pune. Being asked to bat first, GT were 44 for 2 before Shubman Gill's 84, skipper Hardik Pandya's 31 and valuable knocks from David Miller-Rahul Tewatia propelled GT to 171 for 6 in 20 overs. In reply, Rishabh Pant-led DC franchise were restricted for 157-9, courtesy Lockie Ferguson's 4 for 28 and contributions from Mohammed Shami, Hardik and Rashid Khan.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-ravindra-jadejas-reaction-goes-viral-as-csk-skipper-finally-wins-the-toss-vs-pbks-watch-468197">IPL 2022: Ravindra Jadeja's reaction goes viral as CSK skipper finally wins the toss vs PBKS - WATCH</a>

After the game, head coach Ashish Nehra addressed the team&nbsp;and delivered a short and simple dressing room speech. The former Team India pacer's speech has gone viral and was shared by the Gujarat team's official Twitter handle. Here's the video:

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GT Awards🏆 returns in the 🆕 episode of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/InTheLockerRoom?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#InTheLockerRoom</a> ▶️ 
 
Big reveal: Coach Nehra’s ᴄʜɪʟʟ ᴘɪʟʟ 😏<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SeasonOfFirsts?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SeasonOfFirsts</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AavaDe?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AavaDe</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TATAIPL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TATAIPL</a> <a href="https://t.co/YIjygcRCAq">pic.twitter.com/YIjygcRCAq</a>
— Gujarat Titans (@gujarat_titans) <a href="https://twitter.com/gujarat_titans/status/1510603242153345030?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 3, 2022</a></blockquote>
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ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-pbks-star-liam-livingstone-goes-big-hits-a-mammoth-108m-six-during-csk-face-off-watch-468175">IPL 2022: PBKS star Liam Livingstone goes big, hits a mammoth 108m-six during CSK face-off - Watch</a>

After back-to-back wins in their opening two games, Gujarat remain only one of the two unbeaten teams in the 15th season so far. They will now enjoy a five-day break before squaring off with the Punjab franchise on April 8 (Friday), at the Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai.

The second weekend of IPL 2022 edition saw three games being played. On Saturday (April 2), the 15th season saw its second doubleheader with Rajasthan Royals (RR)-Mumbai Indians (MI) clashing in the afternoon game, followed by Gujarat Titans (GT) taking on Delhi Capitals (DC) in the evening encounter.

The second weekend of IPL 2022 edition saw three games being played. On Saturday (April 2), the 15th season saw its second doubleheader with Rajasthan Royals (RR)-Mumbai Indians (MI) clashing in the afternoon game, followed by Gujarat Titans (GT) taking on Delhi Capitals (DC) in the evening encounter. On Sunday (April 4), only a solitary game was held, which saw Punjab Kings (PBKS) further stretch defending champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK)'s winless streak (3). While RR beat MI in the Saturday afternoon's face-off, GT also remained unbeaten with a 14-run win in a hard-fought match held at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Pune. Being asked to bat first, GT were 44 for 2 before Shubman Gill's 84, skipper Hardik Pandya's 31 and valuable knocks from David Miller-Rahul Tewatia propelled GT to 171 for 6 in 20 overs. In reply, Rishabh Pant-led DC franchise were restricted for 157-9, courtesy Lockie Ferguson's 4 for 28 and contributions from Mohammed Shami, Hardik and Rashid Khan. ALSO READ | IPL 2022: Ravindra Jadeja's reaction goes viral as CSK skipper finally wins the toss vs PBKS - WATCH After the game, head coach Ashish Nehra addressed the team and delivered a short and simple dressing room speech. The former Team India pacer's speech has gone viral and was shared by the Gujarat team's official Twitter handle. Here's the video: GT Awards🏆 returns in the 🆕 episode of #InTheLockerRoom ▶️ Big reveal: Coach Nehra’s ᴄʜɪʟʟ ᴘɪʟʟ 😏#SeasonOfFirsts #AavaDe #TATAIPL pic.twitter.com/YIjygcRCAq — Gujarat Titans (@gujarat_titans) April 3, 2022 × ALSO READ | IPL 2022: PBKS star Liam Livingstone goes big, hits a mammoth 108m-six during CSK face-off - Watch After back-to-back wins in their opening two games, Gujarat remain only one of the two unbeaten teams in the 15th season so far. They will now enjoy a five-day break before squaring off with the Punjab franchise on April 8 (Friday), at the Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai.

Eat well, rest well: Ashish Nehra's speech wins hearts as Hardik Pandya-led Gujarat remain unbeaten - watch

Match 4 of the IPL 2022 edition will see two debutant teams in the form of Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and Gujarat Titans (GT) face each other at the iconic Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai on Monday evening (March 28). After much wait, the two new sides will start their respective campaigns as the ardent IPL fans will be eager to see what they bring to the table overall.

Talking about the Lucknow franchise, they will be without some big players in the initial few games. The likes of Jason Holder, Kyle Mayers and Marcus Stoinis will not be available. On the other hand, GT isn't missing a lot of players at present. They don't have Jason Roy, who pulled out of the season citing bio-bubble concerns. Alzarri Joseph will join them in a bit. However, GT's main worry is the lack of big Indian batters in the middle. All in all, it will be interesting to see how Hardik Pandya fills in the gaps and leads in his maiden season.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-rohits-mi-attain-unwanted-record-after-going-down-to-dc-lose-opening-game-for-10th-time-in-a-row-466233">IPL 2022: Rohit's MI attain unwanted record after going down to DC, lose opening game for 10th time in a row</a>

Match prediction for Lucknow vs Gujarat:&nbsp;Both sides will meet each other at the Wankhede Stadium, which hosted the season-opener between Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). The pitch was a bit dump on that day and run-scoring became easier as the game progressed, due to the dew factor. The two new captains will be eager to bowl first and a lot will fall upon the finishers from both the camps if the match goes down the wire in a high-scoring affair.&nbsp;

Tough to predict a winner. Lucknow is slightly more powerful in batting and have all-rounders in their mix. Meanwhile, Gujarat have a challenging set of bowlers.

Match 4 of the IPL 2022 edition will see two debutant teams in the form of Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and Gujarat Titans (GT) face each other at the iconic Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai on Monday evening (March 28).

Match 4 of the IPL 2022 edition will see two debutant teams in the form of Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and Gujarat Titans (GT) face each other at the iconic Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai on Monday evening (March 28). After much wait, the two new sides will start their respective campaigns as the ardent IPL fans will be eager to see what they bring to the table overall. Talking about the Lucknow franchise, they will be without some big players in the initial few games. The likes of Jason Holder, Kyle Mayers and Marcus Stoinis will not be available. On the other hand, GT isn't missing a lot of players at present. They don't have Jason Roy, who pulled out of the season citing bio-bubble concerns. Alzarri Joseph will join them in a bit. However, GT's main worry is the lack of big Indian batters in the middle. All in all, it will be interesting to see how Hardik Pandya fills in the gaps and leads in his maiden season. ALSO READ | IPL 2022: Rohit's MI attain unwanted record after going down to DC, lose opening game for 10th time in a row Match prediction for Lucknow vs Gujarat: Both sides will meet each other at the Wankhede Stadium, which hosted the season-opener between Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). The pitch was a bit dump on that day and run-scoring became easier as the game progressed, due to the dew factor. The two new captains will be eager to bowl first and a lot will fall upon the finishers from both the camps if the match goes down the wire in a high-scoring affair. Tough to predict a winner. Lucknow is slightly more powerful in batting and have all-rounders in their mix. Meanwhile, Gujarat have a challenging set of bowlers.

LSG vs GT, IPL 2022 prediction today: Who will win Lucknow Super Giants vs Gujarat Titans match?

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) faced the Punjab Kings (PBKS) in match 3 of the ongoing IPL 2022 edition at the DY Patil Stadium, Mumbai on Sunday evening (March 27). It was a high-scoring contest which went down the wire before the Mayank Agarwal-led Punjab outfit emerged on top by five wickets in a thrilling fashion.

Talking about the contest, Mayank &amp; Co. opted to bowl first. Riding on new skipper Faf du Plessis' masterclass (57-ball 88),&nbsp;former captain Virat Kohli's 29-ball 41* and Dinesh Karthik's 32* (14), RCB posted a mammoth 205 for 2 in 20 overs. However, they couldn't defend the total courtesy a combined batting performance from Punjab's top guns (Mayank, Shikhar Dhawan, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Liam Livingstone, Shahrukh Khan and Odean Smith) as PBKS got off to a flying start in IPL 2022.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-providing-so-many-talents-to-indian-cricket-psl-hardly-doing-anything-for-pakistan-says-dinesh-kaneria-466351">IPL providing so many talents to Indian cricket, PSL hardly doing anything for Pakistan, says Dinesh Kaneria</a>

After the contest, former Indian opener-turned-commentator Aakash Chopra opined on Kohli's unbeaten knock.&nbsp;"He looked good. This was like that old vintage Virat Kohli. He started with a bang and that's what he can do whenever he wants. He took on Brar. The last time he had issues, he was dismissed. He hit him for a six. He hit the boundaries and then took a backseat," Chopra told Star Sports.

"Not that he was not scoring quickly enough. It's just that he realised that he had to play the supporting role to Faf du Plessis. He understood that 'I may have been the hero in many a movie, but right now I have to play the role of a hero's brother'.

"He let Faf du Plessis take centre stage but he was right till the end, he scored at close to 150. He was scoring at a fair clip but wasn't really greedy to get onto the strike as quickly as possible," he added.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/what-will-he-do-when-virat-kohli-brushed-away-parthiv-patels-suggestion-to-try-jaspit-bumrah-for-rcb-466302">'What will he do': When Virat Kohli brushed away Parthiv Patel's suggestion to try Jaspit Bumrah for RCB</a>

Chopra also opened up on Kohli reuniting with Team India's former batting coach Sanjay Bangar in the RCB setup. For the unversed, Bangar is serving as RCB's head coach for IPL 2022. In this regard, he pointed out, "I am delighted to see this Virat Kohli because, for the last six months, we have seen a different sort of Virat Kohli. He was in one mood - to defend everything. There was a process that he followed all this while and he is back to that now. There is something about Sanjay Bangar and Virat Kohli. There is some chemistry there that brings the best out of Kohli."

Kohli struck at 141.38 during his unbeaten knock versus PBKS. He will be eager to continue in a similar stead in RCB's next game, where they face Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the same venue&nbsp;on Wednesday.

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) faced the Punjab Kings (PBKS) in match 3 of the ongoing IPL 2022 edition at the DY Patil Stadium, Mumbai on Sunday evening (March 27).

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) faced the Punjab Kings (PBKS) in match 3 of the ongoing IPL 2022 edition at the DY Patil Stadium, Mumbai on Sunday evening (March 27). It was a high-scoring contest which went down the wire before the Mayank Agarwal-led Punjab outfit emerged on top by five wickets in a thrilling fashion. Talking about the contest, Mayank & Co. opted to bowl first. Riding on new skipper Faf du Plessis' masterclass (57-ball 88), former captain Virat Kohli's 29-ball 41* and Dinesh Karthik's 32* (14), RCB posted a mammoth 205 for 2 in 20 overs. However, they couldn't defend the total courtesy a combined batting performance from Punjab's top guns (Mayank, Shikhar Dhawan, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Liam Livingstone, Shahrukh Khan and Odean Smith) as PBKS got off to a flying start in IPL 2022. ALSO READ | IPL providing so many talents to Indian cricket, PSL hardly doing anything for Pakistan, says Dinesh Kaneria After the contest, former Indian opener-turned-commentator Aakash Chopra opined on Kohli's unbeaten knock. "He looked good. This was like that old vintage Virat Kohli. He started with a bang and that's what he can do whenever he wants. He took on Brar. The last time he had issues, he was dismissed. He hit him for a six. He hit the boundaries and then took a backseat," Chopra told Star Sports. "Not that he was not scoring quickly enough. It's just that he realised that he had to play the supporting role to Faf du Plessis. He understood that 'I may have been the hero in many a movie, but right now I have to play the role of a hero's brother'. "He let Faf du Plessis take centre stage but he was right till the end, he scored at close to 150. He was scoring at a fair clip but wasn't really greedy to get onto the strike as quickly as possible," he added. ALSO READ | 'What will he do': When Virat Kohli brushed away Parthiv Patel's suggestion to try Jaspit Bumrah for RCB Chopra also opened up on Kohli reuniting with Team India's former batting coach Sanjay Bangar in the RCB setup. For the unversed, Bangar is serving as RCB's head coach for IPL 2022. In this regard, he pointed out, "I am delighted to see this Virat Kohli because, for the last six months, we have seen a different sort of Virat Kohli. He was in one mood - to defend everything. There was a process that he followed all this while and he is back to that now. There is something about Sanjay Bangar and Virat Kohli. There is some chemistry there that brings the best out of Kohli." Kohli struck at 141.38 during his unbeaten knock versus PBKS. He will be eager to continue in a similar stead in RCB's next game, where they face Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the same venue on Wednesday.

Old vintage Virat Kohli: Aakash Chopra praises former RCB skipper for his unbeaten 41 vs PBKS

The IPL 2022 edition is set to get underway on March 26. Ahead of the new season, the ardent fans are excited to see how the two new teams shape up and compete with the rest. While KL Rahul will lead the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), the Gujarat Titans (GT) will be led by local boy Hardik Pandya.

Ahead of the 15th season, all eyes are on Hardik as it remains to be seen if he will return back as an all-rounder. Since the 2021 T20 World Cup, Hardik hasn't been in the scheme of things for Team India, mainly due to the all-rounder working on his fitness to return back to bowling in full flow. In the last two IPL seasons, Hardik didn't bowl a single over for the Mumbai Indians (MI). However, ex-Team India head coach Ravi Shastri feels the 28-year-old needs to bowl to be able to return back in the playing XI for India in white-ball formats.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ms-dhoni-hands-over-csk-captaincy-to-ravindra-jadeja-ahead-of-ipl-2022-465123">MS Dhoni hands over CSK captaincy to Ravindra Jadeja ahead of IPL 2022</a>

"In the top five, there's a lot of muscle there. If anyone's occupying the position Nos. 5, 6 onwards, he'll have to bring that extra department to the game. That is why from Hardik's point of view, from India's point of view, from the Gujarat team's point of view, it's extremely important that he strings those two or three overs together because if he does and bowls with even limited success, he becomes an automatic choice in the Indian team," said Shastri to&nbsp;Espncricinfo.

"I think the all-rounder's position at No. 6 for sure. Ideally, someone in the top-five who can bowl two or three overs. That takes the pressure off the captain. It gives him then six and a half bowlers from whom he can choose. That will be one area I'll be looking at very closely. And of course the fast bowling and fielding. I'm not really worried about the batting. Batting is there," he added.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ms-dhoni-a-look-at-the-veterans-captaincy-record-for-chennai-super-kings-465141">MS Dhoni: A look at the veteran's captaincy record for Chennai Super Kings</a>

The GT franchise will open their campaign versus LSG on March 28 at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. So far, Hardik has kept mum on his bowling plans and has said that it will be a 'surprise' for fans. Let's see what he has in store for one and all in this IPL edition.

Complete squad of Gujarat Titans for IPL 2022:

Jason Roy,&nbsp;Abhinav Sadarangani, David Miller, Wriddhiman Saha, Matthew Wade, Mohammed Shami, Lockie Ferguson, Noor Ahmad, R Sai Kishore, Yash Dayal,&nbsp;Alzarri Joseph, Pradeep Sangwan, Varun Aaron, Rahul Tewatia, Dominic Drakes, Jayant Yadav, Vijay Shankar, Darshan Nalkande, Gurkeerat Singh Mann,&nbsp;Sai Sudarshan

The IPL 2022 edition is set to get underway on March 26. Ahead of the new season, the ardent fans are excited to see how the two new teams shape up and compete with the rest.

The IPL 2022 edition is set to get underway on March 26. Ahead of the new season, the ardent fans are excited to see how the two new teams shape up and compete with the rest. While KL Rahul will lead the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), the Gujarat Titans (GT) will be led by local boy Hardik Pandya. Ahead of the 15th season, all eyes are on Hardik as it remains to be seen if he will return back as an all-rounder. Since the 2021 T20 World Cup, Hardik hasn't been in the scheme of things for Team India, mainly due to the all-rounder working on his fitness to return back to bowling in full flow. In the last two IPL seasons, Hardik didn't bowl a single over for the Mumbai Indians (MI). However, ex-Team India head coach Ravi Shastri feels the 28-year-old needs to bowl to be able to return back in the playing XI for India in white-ball formats. ALSO READ | MS Dhoni hands over CSK captaincy to Ravindra Jadeja ahead of IPL 2022 "In the top five, there's a lot of muscle there. If anyone's occupying the position Nos. 5, 6 onwards, he'll have to bring that extra department to the game. That is why from Hardik's point of view, from India's point of view, from the Gujarat team's point of view, it's extremely important that he strings those two or three overs together because if he does and bowls with even limited success, he becomes an automatic choice in the Indian team," said Shastri to Espncricinfo. "I think the all-rounder's position at No. 6 for sure. Ideally, someone in the top-five who can bowl two or three overs. That takes the pressure off the captain. It gives him then six and a half bowlers from whom he can choose. That will be one area I'll be looking at very closely. And of course the fast bowling and fielding. I'm not really worried about the batting. Batting is there," he added. ALSO READ | MS Dhoni: A look at the veteran's captaincy record for Chennai Super Kings The GT franchise will open their campaign versus LSG on March 28 at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. So far, Hardik has kept mum on his bowling plans and has said that it will be a 'surprise' for fans. Let's see what he has in store for one and all in this IPL edition. Complete squad of Gujarat Titans for IPL 2022: Jason Roy, Abhinav Sadarangani, David Miller, Wriddhiman Saha, Matthew Wade, Mohammed Shami, Lockie Ferguson, Noor Ahmad, R Sai Kishore, Yash Dayal, Alzarri Joseph, Pradeep Sangwan, Varun Aaron, Rahul Tewatia, Dominic Drakes, Jayant Yadav, Vijay Shankar, Darshan Nalkande, Gurkeerat Singh Mann, Sai Sudarshan

'He'll have to bring....': Shastri claims Hardik needs to bowl in IPL 2022 to make India comeback

The IPL 2022 edition is set to get underway on March 26, at the iconic Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. This year's cash-rich league will be extremely crucial for Team India players as they will try to put their best foot forward&nbsp;to be added to the national side's T20 World Cup squad, with the showpiece event to be held later this year in Australia.

Among the bowlers, Jasprit Bumrah is sure to feature in the T20 WC squad (unless fitness concerns arise) but the same can't be said about Mohammed Shami. Shami has been a regular in Tests and also has good numbers in ODIs, but his T20I career isn't very impressive. For the unversed, the senior pacer has an economy rate of over 9 (9.54) in T20Is whereas he hasn't managed to contain the run-flow for various IPL franchises that he has represented over the years.&nbsp;

Thus, the forthcoming IPL season is very important for Shami. He is set to represent the Hardik Pandya-led Gujarat Titans (GT) after being bought by the debutant franchise for INR 62.5 million (INR 6.25 crore). As per a BCCI source, IPL will be a trial run for Shami to be in the scheme of things for India in the shortest format.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/why-does-ms-dhoni-don-no-7-jersey-csk-veteran-answers-the-big-question-ahead-of-ipl-2022-463195">Why does MS Dhoni don No. 7 jersey? CSK veteran answers the big question ahead of IPL 2022</a>

“It’s difficult to sustain all-format bowlers for all conditions. Jasprit Bumrah is the only one who has excelled in all formats. This team management believes in presenting a clear picture to all the players. Shami will surely be spoken to,” a BCCI source was quoted as saying by TOI.

“His ODI career is much better placed. But this IPL will be a kind of trial for him to be considered for the T20 World Cup and he also understands it,” the source added.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/success-is-theirs-failure-is-mine-captain-hardik-pandya-shares-his-philosophy-ahead-of-ipl-2022-463170">Success is theirs, failure is mine: Captain Hardik Pandya shares his philosophy ahead of IPL 2022</a>

Shami was part of India's disastrous run in the 2021 T20 World Cup. However, he has often been rested by the selectors for T20I assignments, in order to keep him fresh for big-ticket limited-overs events or Tests. However, with a T20 WC round the corner once again, his IPL season will determine if he remains in contention to appear in India's&nbsp;WC squad.

The IPL 2022 edition is set to get underway on March 26, at the iconic Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. This year's cash-rich league will be extremely crucial for Team India players as they will try to put their best foot forward to be added to the national side's T20 World Cup squad, with the showpiece event to be held later this year in Australia.

The IPL 2022 edition is set to get underway on March 26, at the iconic Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. This year's cash-rich league will be extremely crucial for Team India players as they will try to put their best foot forward to be added to the national side's T20 World Cup squad, with the showpiece event to be held later this year in Australia. Among the bowlers, Jasprit Bumrah is sure to feature in the T20 WC squad (unless fitness concerns arise) but the same can't be said about Mohammed Shami. Shami has been a regular in Tests and also has good numbers in ODIs, but his T20I career isn't very impressive. For the unversed, the senior pacer has an economy rate of over 9 (9.54) in T20Is whereas he hasn't managed to contain the run-flow for various IPL franchises that he has represented over the years. Thus, the forthcoming IPL season is very important for Shami. He is set to represent the Hardik Pandya-led Gujarat Titans (GT) after being bought by the debutant franchise for INR 62.5 million (INR 6.25 crore). As per a BCCI source, IPL will be a trial run for Shami to be in the scheme of things for India in the shortest format. ALSO READ | Why does MS Dhoni don No. 7 jersey? CSK veteran answers the big question ahead of IPL 2022 “It’s difficult to sustain all-format bowlers for all conditions. Jasprit Bumrah is the only one who has excelled in all formats. This team management believes in presenting a clear picture to all the players. Shami will surely be spoken to,” a BCCI source was quoted as saying by TOI. “His ODI career is much better placed. But this IPL will be a kind of trial for him to be considered for the T20 World Cup and he also understands it,” the source added. ALSO READ | Success is theirs, failure is mine: Captain Hardik Pandya shares his philosophy ahead of IPL 2022 Shami was part of India's disastrous run in the 2021 T20 World Cup. However, he has often been rested by the selectors for T20I assignments, in order to keep him fresh for big-ticket limited-overs events or Tests. However, with a T20 WC round the corner once again, his IPL season will determine if he remains in contention to appear in India's WC squad.

IPL 2022 to be a trial run for star Team India bowler for T20 World Cup consideration: Report

The stage is set for the commencement of the next edition of the IPL. The IPL 2022 edition will get underway on March 26 with the four-time winners and defending champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) up against last edition's runners-up Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the iconic Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai.

This time around, the cash-rich league will see two more teams be a part of the tournament, such as the Gujarat Titans (GT) and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). Talking about the Gujarat franchise, they have a good mix of youth and experience and will be captained by Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya. Hardik, who soon became a regular in the Rohit Sharma-led Mumbai Indians' (MI) camp since his debut in IPL 2015, recently revealed his philosophy as captain ahead of the upcoming season.

"My philosophy for this season is that success is theirs and failure is mine," Hardik said during GT's&nbsp;jersey launch event recently. Here's the video of the same shared by the official Twitter handle of GT:

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Boht Hard, captain! 🤘😎 
Apna time aa gaya…<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GujaratTitans?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GujaratTitans</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SeasonOfFirsts?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SeasonOfFirsts</a> <a href="https://t.co/fM4dTGxsDN">pic.twitter.com/fM4dTGxsDN</a>
— Gujarat Titans (@gujarat_titans) <a href="https://twitter.com/gujarat_titans/status/1504357584165240832?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 17, 2022</a></blockquote>
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For the unversed, this will be the 28-year-old Hardik's&nbsp;first-ever season as an IPL captain. Hence, he will like to impress as a leader and also showcase his credentials once again as an all-round player. He has been out of action at the international level since the 2021 T20 World Cup, due to fitness concerns, and, thus, the forthcoming edition is really important for him to make a comeback into the Indian team at the earliest.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;

The GT camp will open its season against KL Rahul-led LSG on March 28. Here's their full schedule:

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Some call it a schedule, we call it a Hit List! 😈 
 
Mark your 🗓️<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GujaratTitans?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GujaratTitans</a> <a href="https://t.co/FTGifl5qUY">pic.twitter.com/FTGifl5qUY</a>
— Gujarat Titans (@gujarat_titans) <a href="https://twitter.com/gujarat_titans/status/1500476879371120640?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 6, 2022</a></blockquote>
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ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/gujarat-titans-complete-squad-for-ipl-2022-hardik-pandya-led-line-up-invest-in-all-rounders-pacers-453170">Gujarat Titans Complete squad for IPL 2022: Hardik Pandya-led line-up filled with all-rounders, star pacers</a>

Gujarat Titans Squad:&nbsp;Hardik Pandya (C), Rashid Khan, Shubamn Gill, Lockie Ferguson, Rahul Tewatia, Mohammad Shami, Yash Dayal, David Miller, Sai Kishore, Abhinav Sadarangani, Matthew Wade, Alzarri Joseph, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Wriddhiman Saha, Jayant Yadav, Vijay Shankar, Dominic Drakes, Varun Aaron, Gurkeerat Singh, Noor Ahmad, Darshan Nalkande, Pradeep Sangwan.

The stage is set for the commencement of the next edition of the IPL. The IPL 2022 edition will get underway on March 26 with the four-time winners and defending champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) up against last edition's runners-up Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the iconic Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai.

The stage is set for the commencement of the next edition of the IPL. The IPL 2022 edition will get underway on March 26 with the four-time winners and defending champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) up against last edition's runners-up Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the iconic Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. This time around, the cash-rich league will see two more teams be a part of the tournament, such as the Gujarat Titans (GT) and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). Talking about the Gujarat franchise, they have a good mix of youth and experience and will be captained by Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya. Hardik, who soon became a regular in the Rohit Sharma-led Mumbai Indians' (MI) camp since his debut in IPL 2015, recently revealed his philosophy as captain ahead of the upcoming season. "My philosophy for this season is that success is theirs and failure is mine," Hardik said during GT's jersey launch event recently. Here's the video of the same shared by the official Twitter handle of GT: Boht Hard, captain! 🤘😎 Apna time aa gaya…#GujaratTitans #SeasonOfFirsts pic.twitter.com/fM4dTGxsDN — Gujarat Titans (@gujarat_titans) March 17, 2022 × For the unversed, this will be the 28-year-old Hardik's first-ever season as an IPL captain. Hence, he will like to impress as a leader and also showcase his credentials once again as an all-round player. He has been out of action at the international level since the 2021 T20 World Cup, due to fitness concerns, and, thus, the forthcoming edition is really important for him to make a comeback into the Indian team at the earliest. ALSO READ | The GT camp will open its season against KL Rahul-led LSG on March 28. Here's their full schedule: Some call it a schedule, we call it a Hit List! 😈 Mark your 🗓️#GujaratTitans pic.twitter.com/FTGifl5qUY — Gujarat Titans (@gujarat_titans) March 6, 2022 × ALSO READ | Gujarat Titans Complete squad for IPL 2022: Hardik Pandya-led line-up filled with all-rounders, star pacers Gujarat Titans Squad: Hardik Pandya (C), Rashid Khan, Shubamn Gill, Lockie Ferguson, Rahul Tewatia, Mohammad Shami, Yash Dayal, David Miller, Sai Kishore, Abhinav Sadarangani, Matthew Wade, Alzarri Joseph, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Wriddhiman Saha, Jayant Yadav, Vijay Shankar, Dominic Drakes, Varun Aaron, Gurkeerat Singh, Noor Ahmad, Darshan Nalkande, Pradeep Sangwan.

Success is theirs, failure is mine: Captain Hardik Pandya shares his philosophy ahead of IPL 2022

Suresh Raina wasn't retained by the MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) ahead of the IPL 2022 mega auction. However, he was still expected to attract few bids in the two-day auction affair in Bengaluru, held last month. Nonetheless, the veteran player didn't fetch a single bid in the auction proceedings as the CSK franchise didn't try to bring him back in their setup whereas no other team showed interest in acquiring his services.

After England's swashbuckling opener Jason Roy recently withdrew from the forthcoming IPL 2022 edition, citing bio-bubble fatigue, many thought the Hardik Pandya-led Gujarat Titans (GT) would acquire Raina's services as a replacement for Roy. Nonetheless, as per sources, these reports aren't true.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/the-day-hardik-starts-bowling-hell-pip-iyer-for-the-all-rounders-slot-for-t20-world-cup-aakash-chopra-458204">The day Hardik starts bowling, he'll pip Iyer for the all-rounder's slot for T20 World Cup: Aakash Chopra</a>

"No, Suresh Raina is not joining Gujarat Titans. He is not even in consideration for spot," sources close to the development told&nbsp;timesnownews.com.

Earlier this week, England's limited-overs specialist Roy said in a statement, "Hi everyone, especially the Gujarat Titans fans and squad. It's with a heavy heart I have decided to pull out of this year's tournament. I want to thank the management and the captain Hardik for putting your faith in me and picking me in the auction. However with everything going on in the world over the last 3 years it's added up and taken it's toll on me. I feel it's only right I spend some time working on myself and my game over the next couple of months leading into a very busy year. I will be following each game of the Titans and backing them to lift the trophy in their first year of the tournament."

Roy was roped in by the Gujarat franchise for INR 20 million (INR 2 crore) in the mega auction.

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ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/big-blow-to-ms-dhonis-csk-as-deepak-chahar-set-to-miss-majority-of-ipl-2022-edition-reports-458194">Big blow to MS Dhoni's CSK as Deepak Chahar set to miss majority of IPL 2022 edition - Reports</a>
Talking about Raina, the 35-year-old remains one of the biggest names in IPL. He remains the&nbsp;fourth-highest run-getter (5,528) in the tournament after Virat Kohli (6283), Rohit Sharma (5784) and Shikhar Dhawan (5611). Raina was part of CSK's title campaigns in IPL 2010, 2011, 2018 and 2021.</section>

Suresh Raina wasn't retained by the MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) ahead of the IPL 2022 mega auction. However, he was still expected to attract few bids in the two-day auction affair in Bengaluru, held last month.

Suresh Raina wasn't retained by the MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) ahead of the IPL 2022 mega auction. However, he was still expected to attract few bids in the two-day auction affair in Bengaluru, held last month. Nonetheless, the veteran player didn't fetch a single bid in the auction proceedings as the CSK franchise didn't try to bring him back in their setup whereas no other team showed interest in acquiring his services. After England's swashbuckling opener Jason Roy recently withdrew from the forthcoming IPL 2022 edition, citing bio-bubble fatigue, many thought the Hardik Pandya-led Gujarat Titans (GT) would acquire Raina's services as a replacement for Roy. Nonetheless, as per sources, these reports aren't true. ALSO READ | The day Hardik starts bowling, he'll pip Iyer for the all-rounder's slot for T20 World Cup: Aakash Chopra "No, Suresh Raina is not joining Gujarat Titans. He is not even in consideration for spot," sources close to the development told timesnownews.com. Earlier this week, England's limited-overs specialist Roy said in a statement, "Hi everyone, especially the Gujarat Titans fans and squad. It's with a heavy heart I have decided to pull out of this year's tournament. I want to thank the management and the captain Hardik for putting your faith in me and picking me in the auction. However with everything going on in the world over the last 3 years it's added up and taken it's toll on me. I feel it's only right I spend some time working on myself and my game over the next couple of months leading into a very busy year. I will be following each game of the Titans and backing them to lift the trophy in their first year of the tournament." Roy was roped in by the Gujarat franchise for INR 20 million (INR 2 crore) in the mega auction. ALSO READ | Big blow to MS Dhoni's CSK as Deepak Chahar set to miss majority of IPL 2022 edition - Reports Talking about Raina, the 35-year-old remains one of the biggest names in IPL. He remains the fourth-highest run-getter (5,528) in the tournament after Virat Kohli (6283), Rohit Sharma (5784) and Shikhar Dhawan (5611). Raina was part of CSK's title campaigns in IPL 2010, 2011, 2018 and 2021.

Former CSK star Suresh Raina not in consideration for Hardik Pandya's Gujarat Titans in IPL 2022: Sources

IPL 2022: All teams and their squad list