Team India multi-talented person Hardik Pandya said that simple advice from the former captain MS Dhoni helped him a lot in his journey as a cricketer. Hardik says that Dhoni told him to stop thinking about individual goals and put the team first.
The 28-year-old has continued to show his great form from IPL 2022 to the ongoing T20I series against South Africa. On Friday, he scored a vital 46 of 31 and excelled in the fifth game of 65 against Dinesh Karthik (55 of 27). The partnership got India out of trouble after they stumbled with 81st place out of four points while beating first after losing.
During an interaction with Karthik on bcci.tv, Hardik shared how Dhoni’s advice has made a huge difference to the way he approaches the game. He called back:
“In my early days, Mahi bhai taught me one thing. I asked him a very simple question, like how do I get rid of the pressure. He gave me a very simple piece of advice and that was – ‘stop thinking about your score, start thinking about what your team requires’. That lesson stuck in my mind and helped me become the kind of player I have become. In any situation, I evaluate and type the play accordingly.”
Hardik hit three fours and many six sixs on his stroke on Friday. Prior to that, he had recorded 31 unbeaten games 12 in the first T20I and 31 undefeated 21 in the third T20I of the series.
“For me, really nothing has changed” – Hardik Pandya on the difference playing for Gujarat Titans and India
Before returning to the Indian team, Hardik had a great time at IPL 2022. He led the Gujarat Titans (GT) to victory in their first IPL season. The all-rounder has made a significant personal contribution, scoring 487 runs and picking up eight wins.
He was also rated ‘Player of the Match’ in the final for a great effort. When asked how playing for India is different from representing GT, the Baroda cricketer said:
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“For me, really nothing has changed. I roleplay the situation. I play the symbol there on my chest. The only thing I want to get better over time is in terms of how smoothly and how often I can do what I’ve been doing, for both India and Gujarat. ”
Hardik was recently named captain of the Indian team for the two-match T20I series against Ireland in Dublin on June 26 and June 28.
Also read: “He’s enjoying that challenge” – Zaheer Khan on Hardik Pandya Thrives In Pressure Situations
