"Emotional Homecoming For Hardik Pandya But Beating Mumbai Indians Won't Be Easy": Ravi Shastri

12.05.2023 - 10:57 sports.ndtv.com

Former India cricketer Ravi Shastri reckons it will be an emotional homecoming for Gujarat Titans' skipper Hardik Pandya who achieved stardom playing at Wankhede but defeating Mumbai Indians here is always tough for visiting teams.

Speaking on Star Sports' Cricket Live, Ravi Shastri said, "Hardik's homecoming will be emotional. He will play a crucial match against the team at the ground where he rose to stardom.

Hardik would like to prove a lot by leading his team to victory. This match will be really interesting as it will not be easy for GT to beat MI at their home and then MI would like to equalize the defeat in Ahmedabad and take a strong step towards the playoffs." Former India cricketer Harbhajan Singh cautioned Mumbai Indians to bring their A-Game in the match on Friday against a strong Gujarat side which looks pretty balanced and has a superior bowling attack.

Speaking on Star Sports' Cricket Live, Harbhajan Singh said, "MI will have to bring their A-Game against GT because the latter's bowling lineup is very strong.

cricket Mumbai Indians Rohit Sharma Hardik Pandya Ravi Shastri Harbhajan Singh India Ahmedabad

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 final turned out to be a sporting spectacle that saw Ravindra Jadeja score 10 runs from the final two balls of the match, taking Chennai Super Kings across the line. The final over of the match was all going as per plan for GT, with Mohit Sharma conceding just 3 runs from the first 4 balls. However, the veteran pacer's rhythm seems to have been shaken a bit following a brief chat with skipper Hardik Pandya, which former India cricketer Virender Sehwag wasn't pleased to see.

"If I Had To Lose...": Hardik Pandya's Glorious Tribute To MS Dhoni After IPL Final Defeat

Despite facing defeat against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 final, Gujarat Titans (GT) captain Hardik Pandya said that he is proud of his team and if he had to lose the title to anyone he would rather lose it to CSK captain MS Dhoni. Ravindra Jadeja provided a grandstand finish, hitting a six and a four with 10 needed off the last two balls, to power Chennai Super Kings to their fifth IPL title as they beat defending champions Gujarat Titans by five wickets in a thriller at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

MS Dhoni, Hardik Pandya Chase 'Historic Records' As GT Face CSK In IPL 2023 Final

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 will crown a winner on Sunday, with the defending champions Gujarat Titans set to square off against Chennai Super Kings in the final. The match offers an iconic clash between two charismatic leaders in MS Dhoni and Hardik Pandya. While Dhoni is a legend of the game, Hardik has impressed the who's who of the cricketing fraternity with his leadership skills. In the final, both Hardik and Dhoni will be chasing history but only one of them will be able to achieve it.

'Calmness Hardik Pandya Brings Is Reminiscent Of MS Dhoni': Sunil Gavaskar's Huge Compliment For GT Captain Ahead Of IPL 2023 Final

Former India skipper Sunil Gavaskar has lavished praise on Gujarat Titans captain Hardik Pandya, saying the calmness that he brings into the team reminds him of the legendary Mahendra Singh Dhoni. Titans, under the guidance of Pandya, sailed into their second successive IPL final after blowing away five-time champions Mumbai Indians by 62 runs in Qualifier 2 to set up a summit clash with four-time winners Chennai Super Kings.

"Horses For Courses": Ravi Shastri's Significant Advice For India For WTC Final

Former Indian cricket team head coach Ravi Shastri believes that the team composition for India can be extremely helpful in the World Test Championship (WTC) final at the Oval and the presence of three fast bowlers and two spinners will allow skipper Rohit Sharma to control the game against Australia. In a recent interaction, Shastri said that the overcast condition in England during June will be of help to the pacers and their performance can allow India to win the coveted title.

Gujarat Titans vs Mumbai Indians, IPL 2023 Qualifier 2: Predicted XI Of Both Teams

With a place in the final up for grabs, Mumbai Indians would be fancying their chances against defending champions Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 2 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Friday. Akash Madhwal's breathtaking bowling performance against Lucknow Super Giants in the Eliminator has given MI a much-needed boost ahead of the clash against the holders. GT, on the other hand, were outclassed and outgunned in Qualifier 1 by MS Dhoni's Chennai Super Kings. The Hardik Pandya-led side will have one last chance to gather themselves up and put their best foot forward in familiar conditions here in order to qualify for their second IPL final on the trot.