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The absence of regular captain Rohit Sharma, maverick batter Virat Kohli and stylish willow-wielder KL Rahul didn't make any difference as India continued their domination in the bilateral T20I series. Under Hardik Pandya's leadership, the Men in Blue trounced Sri Lanka by 91 runs in the third T20I at SCA Stadium in Rajkot to win the series 2-1. It was a Suryakumar Yadav masterclass as the swashbuckling batter scored his third T20I century within six months to help India post a mammoth total of 228/5, which ultimately helped India to register their 12th bilateral T20I series win on the trot. The Mumbaikar remained unbeaten on 112 runs off 51 balls with the help of seven fours and nine sixes.
While Suryakumar and Axar Patel were the standout performers for India against Sri Lanka, it was Hardik's captaincy that also garnered admiration from fans and pundits. When asked about his evolution from the captaincy standpoint, the all-rounder credited Gujarat Titans coach Ashish Nehra.
"What has been very important from Gujarat point of view is the kind of coach I worked with. Ashish Nehra made a big difference in my life, because of our mindsets. We might be two different personalities, but we have very similar cricketing thoughts," Hardik said at the press conference.
"Because I was with him, it added value to my captaincy. It helped me to get exactly what I know. It was just about getting that assurance, once I got that... the awareness of this game I always knew. It was all about knowing and backing what I knew already. It has definitely helped me," he added.
India will now lock horns against Sri Lanka in a three-match ODI series, starting January 10. Rohit, Virat, Rahul and Jasprit Bumrah are all part of India's ODI squad. Rohit will lead India while Hardik will be his deputy.
