Former Indian wicket-keeper batter Parthiv Patel feels that Gujarat Titans skipper Hardik Pandya should have taken a few risks in the middle overs as that could have changed the game in the favour of the defending champions against Delhi Capitals, who failed to chase down the low score on Tuesday.
With 131 runs to chase against Capitals, It looked like an easy chase for the defending champions, but Delhi Capitals bowlers showed a lot of grit and determination to pick wickets in the regular intervals to put Gujarat Titans 32-4 at the 7 overs.
Skipper Hardik Pandya played a sensible knock alongside Abinav Manohar, to take deep before the Karnataka batter was dismissed for fighting 27 runs. The Gujarat Titans skipper remained not out at 59 off 53 balls but could finish the game for his side.
Speaking on Jiocinema, Parthiv Patel said that Hardik Pandya played a low-risk game and probably they should have finished the game with one or two overs to spare against the underperforming Delhi Capitals.
“The game went deep because he (Hardik) played low-risk cricket. If he took a few risks, they could’ve ended the game an over or two earlier chasing a target of 130 runs. When you are 59 not out in 53 balls chasing 130, you expect your team to win.
“He made almost half the runs and all the boundaries we saw were hit on the back foot. He was waiting for things to happen, the saying ‘we need to make things happen, he wasn’t doing that,” Parthiv said on Jio Cinema
Gujarat Titans skipper could not accelerate at any stage of the innings as he found it difficult to find boundaries in the end overs, with GT Finisher Rahul Tewatia giving the team hope with three consecutive sixes in the last three balls of the 19th over to give his side a real chance in the final over where Ishant Sharma bowled brilliant 20th over to defend 12 runs in famous Narendra Modi Stadium.
It Was Just One Of Those Off Days For Hardik Pandya – Shubman Gill
Gujarat Titans opener Shubman Gill defended his skipper Hardik Pandya’s knock against Delhi Capitals stating it is a one-off game and said that every batsman has that kind of day and also credited Delhi bowlers for nailing the yorkers in the final overs of the innings.
“As a player and as a batsman, we are all bound to have one-off days. It was just one of those off days. But he did back himself to get those runs but credit to Delhi, they bowled some really good yorkers at the back end,” Shubman Gill said.
Despite losing against DC, Gujarat Titans are comfortably placed at the Number one position in the points table and the Defending Champions will take on Rajasthan Royals in their next away fixture in Sawai Mansingh Stadium on May 5.