IPL 2022: Best Indian XI from the fifth week of the tournament

3. Hardik Pandya (c)

Hardik Pandya has been a revelation this IPL, taking to captaincy like a fish to water and shutting down his critics with his impactful performances with the bat, ball and as a leader. He has led the team from the front as the debutants sit well at the top of the points table.

Hardik has been good enough to play both as a pure batsman and pure bowler in a Gujarat Titans squad that looked thin and inexperienced on paper but are now sitting at the top of the table well into the halfway stage of the tournament.

Coming in at No.3 against Kolkata Knight Riders, he made another impressive match-winning contribution of 67, as he climbed to No.3 in the Orange Cap race. Although he had poor outings against Sunrisers Hyderabad and Royal Challengers Bangalore, the 28-year-old all-rounder has done enough to prove that he is ready to make a comeback to the Indian side.