'He's the bloke all teams are looking and thinking how do we beat them': Matthew Hayden picks 'red hot' team of IPL 2022

After analysing the first 20 games of the season, Australia great and former Chennai Super Kings batter Matthew Hayden picked the team to watch out for, hailing them as a “red hot” side.

20 games have already been played in 2022 Indian Premier League (IPL) and barring two, all eight other franchises have at least played four games this season. Five teams have bagged six points each with only one team so far which remains unbeaten, while two heavyweights of the tournament are yet to open their account. And after analysing the first 20 games of the season, Australia great and former Chennai Super Kings batter Matthew Hayden picked the team to watch out for, hailing them as a “red hot” side.

File photo of Matthew Hayden. (Getty Images)

Hayden feels that Gujarat Titans are the team that every other side should be wary of after their unbeaten run in three straight games, although they stand third owing to their inferior net run rate comparted to table topper Rajasthan Royals and second-placed Kolkata Knight Riders.

Speaking to Star Sports after Gujarat's win against Punjab Kings last week, Hayden feels that the Hardik Pandya-led side have shown a lot of positives during these three games.

“You can only play as good as your team. And they are right on the top of their game at the moment. Shubman Gill controlling the game at the top of the order. And of course their fast men as well, through the centre stage of this game as well. All in all I feel, he is the bloke I feel at the moment that every other franchise will be looking and thinking...how are we going to defeat GT. They are really red hot," he said.

Gujarat will be playing their fourth game this season, against 2016 champions Sunrisers Hyderabad, who are heading into the team on the back of an impressive win against CSK.