Debasis Sen, Pallekele: Hardik Pandya on Sunday sparked off the debate whether he can be the next Kapil Dev for India. At least going by his recent form across all formats he is showing enough promise to be compared with the Haryana Hurricane. But the man himself was very humble on being asked about the comparison with the legend.
“If someone compares you with such legends, it feels good. Obviously my focus is to play my cricket and just become what I can become. Even if I can be 10 per cent of what he (Kapil) was, I will be pretty happy in my life,” said Hardik after the post day’s play.
For a young man who has played less than 40 games, he does look supremely confident on and off the field. With blonde streaks in his hair along with the tattoos, he comes across as a funky guy. But when it comes to his cricket, he means real business. But for all the superficial gloss, Pandya remains grounded. He gave up partying and drinking for a year in order to focus all his energies on getting better at cricket, and the results are already showing. He credits his seniors and team management for the confidence they have reposed on him.
Speaking about his journey till now, Hardik says, “I am pretty lucky to have such team and such people who are supporting me and backing me all out. Showing the confidence that they are showing in me has helped me feel relaxed. Obviously it feels nice when all these things happen to you, it boosts out confidence and it feels pretty good. They have given me all the freedom to play the way I can and that’s the best thing to have happened. I am enjoying my cricket and I thank the captain and the team management for showing that confidence in me.”
The Baroda all-rounder scored his maiden first class hundred. The only time he scored was four years back when he was playing his U’19 cricket. By his own admission, he himself doesn’t even remember the last time he reached triple figures.
Speaking on the butterflies when on nineties, a confident Pandya said,”First time in my life I have not had the 90s butterfly. Otherwise – I don’t remember previous centuries – but I used to have butterflies from how much I can remember. In today’s game – I have said earlier as well – that when I bat, I am in a different zone. When I bat, I don’t think about my personal scores and achievements. It has helped me enough. One thing I learned from Mahi bhai [MS Dhoni] is that you always put your team ahead, see the scoreboard and play accordingly. That has helped me throughout.”
He blazed his way to 83 runs after taking 26 runs off Malinda Pushpakumara. Talking about the over, Hardik said, “It just happened, honestly I didn’t want to go all over in that over but I don’t know what happened. Maybe I was connecting pretty well, let me try this over and scored 26 runs, feels obviously good. From there I saw the score board and I was batting on 80 and I was like, wow! Then I noticed I was in the zone, I don’t usually look at the score board, I don’t want to know what’s happening around. I just focus on how I can help the innings progress.”
He celebrated in a unique way much like what Dhawan did on reaching his hundred. On being asked about the celebration, he said, “Before the first day of this game, Shikhar, me and Kl (Rahul) were sitting and we were like if he (Dhawan) scores a hundred he will celebrate in this manner. He scored a 100 and he did it. Last night I said that if do something nice today, I will celebrate the same way. It’s something that we have, we call him Daddy D.”