Gujarat Titans' (GT) Hardik Pandya has been a revelation as the captain of the new Indian Premier League (IPL) entrants, and in their first season in the cash-rich T20 tournament, the side have reached the final — a major achievement for the team. Playing Rajasthan Royals (RR) in Qualifier 1, Pandya's calm demeanour impressed all, scoring an unbeaten 40 off 27 balls. His captaincy has not only earned praise, but also comparisons with one of India's most prolific captains — MS Dhoni.
Hardik agreed with these comparisons as well, “Obviously, Mahi bhai (MS Dhoni) has played a big role in my life. He is a dear brother, a dear friend, and family to me. So, for me, I have learned a lot of good things from him. For me it was more about being individually strong which I’m really proud of myself as well, how I have been able to manage all the parts,” he said at the post-match press conference after the Titans’ win over the Royals in Qualifier 1.
“Before the captaincy as well, I always made sure that I approach all the situations in a cool-headed way. Generally, you take a better decision that way. For me in my life and in my cricketing journey, it was important to give that 10-second extra rather than rushing in,” he added.
A good thing is that Hardik hasn’t let his captaincy affect his game, unlike many of the other cricketers skippering their IPL sides this season. His performances also earned him a well-deserved recall to the India T20I squad.
Hardik has been subject to many critical reviews over the years but the GT skipper remains unfazed, “People always talk, I can’t help, Hardik Pandya always makes news. I have no problem with it.”
About the game, he opined about his match-winning partnership with David Miller. “It was very simple for me. I have been in this kind of situation before as well. I try to make sure that I’m natural and calm, which helps to make the right decisions. If you are too excited sometimes or too hyped up, you tend to take wrong decisions where you don’t need them.
“For me, it was important to create partnerships and be there till the end. When Miller came, I had to make sure that I kind of take pressure off him and score quick runs and you saw what Miller did after he got set,” he added.
