“You don’t have to be best friends off the field”: Gautam Gambhir opens up on Krunal Pandya-Deepak Hooda relationship at Lucknow Super Giants camp ahead of IPL 2022

Part of the LSG squad, Gautam Gambhir opens up on Krunal Pandya-Deepak Hooda relationship ahead of 15th season of the IPL.

During the two-day mega auction event for the imminent season of the IPL, the signings of former Baroda teammates in Krunal Pandya and Deepak Hooda into the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) squad had raised quite some eyebrows of the fans.

While Pandya was roped in at INR 8.25 Crore, Hooda was acquired at INR 5.75 Crore, with the to-be debutant franchise clearly eyeing at the Indian all-rounders to strengthen their squad.

Former Indian batter and at present the newly-appointed mentor of Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), Gautam Gambhir, has given his reactions on the sour relationship that had developed between the aforementioned players the previous year.

Gautam Gambhir opens up on Krunal Pandya-Deepak Hooda relationship

During an interaction with the Press Trust of India (PTI), Gambhir, while addressing the apparent damaging relationship Pandya and Hooda had inflicted upon themselves last year, remarked that both the players are professional and one doesn’t have to be good friends with everyone in the team off-the-field to perform on it.

“Look, you don’t have to be best friends off the field to perform on it. They are professionals and they know that they have a job to do. You don’t have to go out for dinner every night if you are playing in the same team. I have not been friends with everyone in every team that I have played in,” exclaimed Gambhir.

The LSG mentor further stated that both the players have no other purpose within the team apart from winning matches for Lucknow.

“But that hasn’t stopped me from giving my best when I am out there on the field. These are matured people and they know they are here to win matches for Lucknow,” he further said.

Hooda-Pandya controversy

Ahead of the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 tournament last year, Deepak Hooda had pulled out of the Baroda squad while alleging that Krunal Pandya (Baroda’s captain) had abused him before his teammates and other state teams at Vadodara. He further exclaimed that Pandya had even bullied him while also stopping him from training despite having secured permission for the same by team head coach Prabhakar Bairgond.

A few days later, Hooda was suspended for the rest of the domestic season by the Baroda Cricket Association (BCA) on grounds of ‘indiscipline’ and for bringing disrepute to the organization.

With Pandya yet to react on the matter, Hooda, six months later, joined the Rajasthan domestic side for the 2021-22 season.