Gujarat Titans captain Hardik Pandya must be really proud of the team's overall performance ever since the franchise was newly inducted into the competition. The Ahmedabad-based franchise made waves in IPL 2022 season as they made it all the way to the finals and defeated Rajasthan Royals in the final to win their maiden IPL title, in what was a magnificent achievement. 

Hardik PandyaIn the subsequent season, they performed ever so well and finished the league stage as the table-toppers and rightly so, they were the first team to qualify for the playoffs. Needless to say, they surrendered at the hands of Chennai Super Kings in the IPL 2023 final. Earlier, Gujarat Titans lost to CSK in the first qualifier in Chennai.

MS Dhoni and Co pulled off a stunning win over GT as they beat GT by 15 runs in Qualifier 1 and made it to the 10th IPL final. After that, they went on to defeat the same opponent in the final by five wickets (DLS Method) and claimed their fifth IPL trophy.

Hardik Pandya reacts to GT's heartbreaking defeat in IPL 2023 final

Gujarat Titans captain Hardik Pandya had plenty of things to say at the post-match presentation. Gujarat Titans took the game to the final ball but Ravindra Jadeja smashed a boundary off Mohit Sharma, in what turned out to be a surreal climax. 

Hardik Pandya echoed that they ticked a lot of boxes as a team. He further added that the team operated as a collective force by playing with a lot of heart. He said that he is proud of the way the team kept fighting.

"I think we tick a lot of boxes as a team. We play with a lot of heart, really proud of the way we kept fighting. We have a motto - we win together, we lose together. I'm not going to make excuses, CSK played the better cricket. We batted really well, special mention to Sai (Sudharsan), not easy to play that well at this level. We have been backing the boys and trying to make sure we get the best out of them," he added.

"But their success is their success. The way they have put their hand up and delivered - Mohit, Rashid, Shami everyone. (On MS Dhoni) I'm very happy for him, destiny had this written. If I had to lose, I'd rather lose to him. Good things happen to good people, and he's been one of the best people I know. God has been kind, and God has been kind to me as well but today was his night," Hardik Pandya further added.