Watch: Natasa Stankovic Gives Hardik Pandya an Emotional Hug
The Gujarat Titans captain, Hardik Pandya, remained emotionless throughout the competition. When he did, and he did it infrequently, it was virtually always directed at himself. Hardik was so controlled that he did not shout, leap, or go onto the field as Shubman Gill hit the winning six off Obed McCoy to give GT its first IPL victory.
The GT captain couldn’t stop grinning. After exchanging pleasantries with his teammates on the bench, Hardik hugged his distressed wife Natasa Stankovic as he gingerly made his way onto the playing field.
Read RCB vs GT: Watch Natasa’s reaction after Hardik’s bat went high in the air
Natasa Hugged Hardik Pandya
During the IPL 2022, Hardik’s wife Natasa Stankovic and son Agastya have been his strongest supporters. After the final, Natasa stepped onto the field to congratulate her husband on his championship win. As she hugged Hardik, who was smiling after the triumph, the Bollywood actress, model, and dancer couldn’t help but weep.
— Guess Karo (@KuchNahiUkhada) May 30, 2022
That hug with Natasa was likely the result of all the emotions the all-rounder had been experiencing for quite some time. After all, during the competition, Hardik had attributed his calm attitude to his wife and son.
The strong emotional hug and huge grins indicated a lot, as winning a tournament like the IPL, especially in your debut season, takes a lot of effort. Hardik, on the other hand, was no longer a member of the Indian team. There were more questions than answers regarding his bowling condition, and no one knew how he would perform as a captain. But, after a little more than two months, he answered them all in style.
Hardik’s Struggle
IPL 2022 was Hardik Pandya’s return season, and he had a lot of problems. He received a lot of flak last year for not bowling in the T20 World Cup. Since then, he hasn’t played a single game and has focused on improving his fitness in preparation for a return to the IPL this year. The GT captain bowled effectively as well, and most importantly, he took three critical wickets in the final when it counted most.
Read BCCI announced India’s Squad against South Africa, Umran Malik joins the Team
Meanwhile, Gujarat Titans’ title-winning run on IPL debut was largely attributed to Hardik Pandya’s passion to learn as captain and his ability to successfully communicate with his colleagues, according to team mentor Gary Kirsten on Sunday.
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