Hardik will do something special in coming games: Manohar

The defending champions recorded their fifth win in seven outings after a comprehensive 55-run win against Mumbai Indians at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Tuesday, April 25. 

After being asked to bat first, the Titans were 103 for four in 13 overs when David Miller and Abhinav Manohar joined forces for the home team. The duo and the lower order smashed 103 runs in the last seven overs to propel the team to 207 runs in the first innings. 

In the post-match press conference, the Karnataka batter shared insights on the preparations of the side and his partnership with David Miller. "We have our training sessions that go on for a couple of hours. I think our team is the one that trains the most, and we put in long hours."

"As batters, we get to bat a lot, and it becomes easy out in the game because we have done it so many times, so it becomes a muscle memory for us."

"We (Miller) were talking out there in the middle. Whatever ball is in our zone, we shall go for it and not give any half-hearted effort at the shot. Plus, I felt he being out there in the middle, talking to me, helps me calm down when I'm batting over there," said Manohar.

The middle-order batter also backed his skipper, Hardik Pandya, who contributed 13 off 14 deliveries to come good in the upcoming fixtures. 

"Hardik is a world-class batter. It's just a matter of time before he comes back. I'm sure he is going to come in, and in the next few games, he is going to do something special," he said. 

Speaking of his own performance and the areas he has worked on before the season, Manohar shed light on the pre-IPL camp held by the team that helps the batters get into the groove of the tournament. 

"Compared to last year, I felt I was a bit slow on the field, and I worked on it in the past season. My striking abilities have also improved, which is mainly due to throw-downs and practice sessions. We had two camps prior to the IPL for a week each, which really helped because we get to bat for about four hours a day," Manohar said. 

In pursuit of 208 runs, Mumbai lost wickets at regular intervals and were restricted to 152 runs in their quota of 20 overs, which eventually helped Titans gain vital two points. 

"I felt it was easy to bat in the second innings, but our bowlers really bowled well. They lost a few wickets early on, which didn't allow the batters to come out and play their natural game. I felt it was easier to bat in the second innings because of the dew," he concluded. 

Gujarat Titans will travel to Eden Gardens and face the Kolkata Knight Riders in an afternoon encounter on Saturday, April 29.