IPL 2022: Hardik Pandya says his name 'always sells, no problem with it'

Hardik Pandya has seen it all -- highs and lows, injuries, surgery, being embroiled in controversies -- but he says he faces them with a smile. Putting behind all these, Hardik has shone not just as an all-rounder but as a leader, taking an under-rated Gujarat Titans to the final in a dream IPL debut season. "People always talk, that's their job. I can't help," Hardik said in a virtual media interaction after leading the Titans to a seven-wicket win over Rajasthan Royals on Tuesday night to seal a final berth. "The name 'Hardik Pandya' always sells. I've no problem with it, I just take it easy with a smiling face." After making his international debut in 2016 following his success with Mumbai Indians, expectations skyrocketed with Hardik as he was compared with the legendary World Cup-winning India skipper Kapil Dev.

Read AlsoIPL 2022, GT vs RR: Sensational Miller, captain Pandya chase down tall total as Gujarat Titans enter final in style

Gujarat Titans stormed into the IPL final in their debut season after David Miller's blistering half-century secured a seven-wicket victory against Rajasthan Royals in Tuesday's Qualifier 1 in Kolkata. Needing 16 off the final over from Prasidh Krishna, Miller smashed three sixes in a row to book

In 2019, Hardik was suspended for his loose talk on women on 'Koffee with Karan'. He later apologised to the inquiry committee of the BCCI. The 28-year-old star all-rounder made his last appearance for India against Namibia in the T20 World Cup in Dubai on November 8 and then struggled to manage his bowling workload post his back surgery. Released by Mumbai Indians, Hardik was picked by Gujarat for Rs 15 crore ahead of this IPL season. Questions were raised when he was handed captaincy for a