Former Sri Lankan cricketer Russel Arnold has praised Hardik Pandya for his captaincy for Gujarat Titans in the IPL 2022 saying that he is leading the team from the front with batting at No. 4. Arnold further added that there is more of Hardik’s finishing skills yet to be seen in the tournament.

IPL 2022 has two new participant teams in the form of Gujarat Titans and Lucknow Super Giants. Hardik Pandya is captaining GT and they have started well in the tournament with two wins from two matches. They are the only team to be undefeated in the tournament so far. Hardik is playing a new role with the franchise batting at No. 4 and has also returned to bowling his full quota of overs. He went wickless in the first match against Lucknow Super Giants but scalped one in the game against Delhi Capitals. 

Former Sri Lanka cricketer Russel Arnold has praised Hardik saying he is leading the team from the front with his role in the team. Arnold also added that there is more of the all-rounder yet to be seen in the tournament. 

“I like what he is doing. [If] he comes in later in an innings, of course, the strike-rate is up and he makes an impact,” Arnold said to Cricket.com

“But if he plays more balls, score more runs and quietly gets his strike-rate up and set himself up for the death overs, where he is in a better position to play those big shots, I think he will be more destructive.”

“The fact that he is getting out there and trying to do the business is rubbing off on the team. It’s a captain leading from the front is exactly what you want. There’s a lot more to come from Pandya. He really has not lived up to expectations, the hype that goes with him. It has been in patches. This is the opportunity and he’s made a great start.”

GT will play their next game against Punjab Kings on Friday.