'Entire world is watching, be sensible as a leader' - Mohammed Shami reveals what he advised GT skipper Hardik Pandya

Gujarat Titans pacer Mohammed Shami has opined that his skipper Hardik Pandya has shown immense maturity as a captain in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022. The Titans became the first team to seal a top-two finish in the points table after defeating the defending champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on May 15 (Sunday).

Shami praised Hardik for controlling his emotions on the field as captain and also said that he has changed as a person since becoming the captain of GT. Shami also compared Hardik with other Indian stalwarts including MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli, and Rohit Sharma.

I have advised him to control his emotions on the field: Mohammed Shami

In a conversation with reporters after the game against CSK, the senior pacer opened up on the advice he gave to his skipper Pandya. “After he (Hardik) became captain, he has become more normal, his reactions have been tempered (mellowed). I have advised him to control his emotions on the field because the entire world watches cricket. It is very important as a leader to be sensible and understand situations and he has performed that role to perfection.”

“He (Hardik Pandya) has kept the team together. I have witnessed a lot of changes in him as a captain in comparison to a player. Every captain has a different temperament. Mahi (Dhoni) bhai was quiet, Virat was aggressive, Rohit leads according to match situations, so understanding Hardik’s mindset is not rocket science,” he added.

Meanwhile, the Titans are sitting on top of the points table with 20 points and have already qualified for the playoffs. They will now play the second team to qualify for the playoffs as they will go against each other in Qualifier 1 of IPL 2022. The match is slated to be played at the iconic Eden Gardens, Kolkata on May 24 (Tuesday).