Hardik Pandya has been in sublime touch since returning to high-level cricket at the IPL 2022 and has carried his form into the ongoing South Africa series, which his is first international series since the T20 World Cup last year.
After four matches so far, Pandya is India’s second-highest run-scorer – and third overall – with 117 runs, coming at an average of 58 and strike rate of 153; three of his four knocks have been of over 30 with the last two in match-winning causes.
He had a blockbuster IPL 2022 campaign, where, leading for the first time in the IPL, the 28-year-old marched the Gujarat Titans to a maiden title in their debut season. He led from the front – scoring 487 runs in the season while breaking the back of RR’s innings in the final with his three-wicket haul.
MS Dhoni’s advice to Hardik Pandya on playing situations
However, his role for Gujarat Titans and Team India has been different. Whereas for Titans, Pandya batted at number 3 and 4, for India he has come out to bat at number 5 and could also slot down one position when the top three of Rohit, Rahul and Kohli return.
In a chat with Dinesh Karthik, the Man of the Match in Rajkot, Pandya was asked about the mindset shift he needed to make while playing the two different roles. The all-rounder recalled a piece of simple advice from former captain MS Dhoni early in his India career that he’s kept in mind and helped him become a match-winner.
Dinesh Karthik asked Hardik Pandya, “Is there any difference in the way that you think when you play for Gujarat Titans to when you are playing for India?”
Hardik replied: “For me, genuinely nothing changes because I play situation. It’s about how smoothly and how frequently I can do the same thing that I did for Gujarat and same for India as well.
“Early in my days, Mahi bhai taught me one thing, I asked how do you handle the pressure and his very simple advice was: ‘Stop thinking about your score and start thinking what your team requires’ – that lesson has stuck in my mind and helped me to become kind of player which I am. So, whichever situation I go in, I assess it and play according to it.”
With the series levelled at 2-2, the teams travel to Bangalore for the final showdown on Sunday.
In-flight insightful conversation
Learning from the great @msdhoni
Being an inspirationDO NOT MISS as @hardikpandya7 & @DineshKarthik chat after #TeamIndia‘s win in Rajkot.
Full interview
— BCCI (@BCCI) June 18, 2022
