MS Dhoni taught Hardik Pandya to put team ahead and play accordingly

The Indiann team had a great day in the office on Sunday as they are very close to whitewash the Sri Lankans and clinch the Test series 3-0. But the fate of the series had already been settled and not even the most optimistic of Sri Lankan fans would have expected a miraculous comeback after the horrendous show in the first couple of games. But Sunday was indeed a very special day for the young, talented and charismatic Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya.

The Test match was transformed into an ODI, if not T20I, by Pandya who scored 108 runs in just 96 balls. His innings was filled with a flurry of boundaries and mammoth sixes as the Lankan bowlers had no clue on how to stop the ongoing assault. The bowler who faced the maximum heat is Malinda Pushpakumara, as Pandya smashed 26 runs in his over, thereby becoming the Indian to score the maximum number of runs in a single over in Test cricket.

The swashbuckling cricketer credited the former Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni for his success and said that he has learned the art of putting the team in the front seat and personal achievements in the back seat.

“(It was the) first time in my life I have not had the 90s butterflies. I don’t remember previous centuries, but I used to have butterflies in my stomach from what I can remember. I have said when I bat I am in a different zone. I don’t think about my personal scores and achievements. It has helped me. One thing I learned from Mahi bhai is that you always put your team ahead, see the scoreboard and play accordingly. That has helped me throughout,” said Hardik after his magnificent innings at Pallekele.

Pandya doesn’t remember when he scored his last hundred

When he was asked about when did he score he last hundred, Pandya replied “I scored in under-19. I am 24, no 23. So, some four-five years back, I scored my hundred. Actually, I don’t remember when I scored the hundred.”

On the 116 over of the match that fetched 26 runs, which Malinda Pushpakumara wants to forget very soon, he said “Honestly, I didn’t want to go all out in that over, but I don’t know what happened. Maybe I was connecting pretty well, and scored 26 runs. It obviously feels good. I saw the scoreboard and I was batting on 80, and I was like, wow! Then I felt I was in the zone, I don’t usually look at the scoreboard, I don’t want to know what’s happening around. I just focus on how I can help the innings progress.”

The time is really ticking in favour of the Choryasi born player, as chief selector, MSK Prasad has compared him with the legendary former Indian World Cup winning skipper Kapil Dev. “If someone compares you with such legends… then it feels good. Obviously, my focus is to play my cricket and just become what I can. Even if I can be 10 % of what he (Kapil) was, I will be pretty happy in my life,” said the 23-year old regarding the matter.

After the quickfire innings from Pandya, many cricket pundits are saying that the young weapon of skipper Virat Kohli is making the purest and probably the toughest format of the game look easy. “Obviously not! But I am pretty glad. God has been kind to me. I am lucky I got things pretty quickly in life. I am just happy that way. I am getting whatever I have worked hard for,” said the owner of two ODI fifties when he was asked about it.