Gujarat Titans skipper Hardik Pandya made a stunning revelation as he stated that he was close to joining KL Rahul’s Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in 2022. Notably, the skipper was signed by Gujarat for a humongous price tag of INR 15 crore and led the side to glory by winning the coveted title in their debut season.
“I did get a call from the other franchise (Lucknow Super Giants) as well, which was a new franchise in IPL. Someone who I knew (KL Rahul) was leading the team. For me, it was very important, considering the stage at which I was, where I really wanted to play with a person who has known me,” Hardik said on the Gujarat Titans podcast.
“I always found that people who know me have a different perspective than people who have never come across or come close to me. When I got the opportunity to work with someone I know, I was very keen to go to that side,” he added.
Hardik shares Ashish Nehra’s call that made him join GT
“But then Ashu (Ashish Nehra) pa called me. At that time, the team also didn’t have permission to be part of the IPL. It was very haywire; things weren’t even settled. He said, ‘I’m going to be the coach. It isn’t fixed yet, but I will be coach’. I was like, ‘Ashu pa, if you weren’t there, I wouldn’t have even considered this because you’re saying I’ve always felt you are one person who has understood what I am’,” Hardik added.
