"I want to take some more responsibility for my batting" - GT captain Hardik Pandya vouches to bat at No.4 in IPL 2022

'Batter' Hardik Pandya will be seen donning a key role in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 for Gujarat Titans.

The flamboyant all-rounder came out to bat at No.4 in the Titans' IPL 2022 opener against Lucknow Super Giants on Monday. He looked confident and played some gorgeous shots during his 28-ball stay, hitting five boundaries and a six during his 33.

He set the tone for the run chase after they lost two quick wickets in pursuit of 159. When asked about his batting position, Pandya said that he wants to bat in the top order and assume more responsibility.

Speaking at the post-match presentation ceremony, Pandya said:

"Yeah, mostly I will bat at No.4. I want to take some more responsibility for my batting and make sure the guys around can play freely. We've spoken about winning as a team. The contributions we had today were good to see. That worked well for us."

While it looked like an easy chase at the halfway stage, the Lucknow franchise did exceedingly well to make things difficult for Gujarat. However,Rahul Tewatia (40* off 24) and debutant Abhinav Manohar (15* off 7) held their composure to take the team to their maiden IPL win. Lauding the two stars, Pandya said:

"Manohar is some talent to look at. He's got some serious ball-striking ability, and you'll here a lot more positive things about him in the time to come. Tewatia was sensational as well."

Meanwhile, it was Mohammed Shami who set things up with a brilliant spell with the new ball. He dismissed KL Rahul for a first-ball duck and backed it up with two more dismissals to give Gujarat a perfect start. Praising the veteran fast bowler, the 28-year-old all-rounder said:

"He is known for that. The kind of seam position he bowls can be awkward. He got off us to a great start."

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"Family is neutral and happy" - Hardik Pandya

Meanwhile, the game marked the first time since childhood Hardik Pandya played against his brother Krunal Pandya.

Krunal dismissed the Gujarat captain when he tried to launch a big hit, holinh out to long-on. When asked if there was any exchange of words, Hardik jokingly revealed that the dismissal would have pinched if his IPL team ended up on the losing side.

"Getting out to Krunal would have pinched me more had we lost, but now the family is neutral and happy. He got me out, and we won the match," Hardik Pandya continued.

According to the IPL 2022 schedule, Gujarat will next face Delhi Capitals in their second game on Saturday.