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Hardik Pandya believes he has improved his capacity to handle stress and doesn’t mind filling Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s position as the team’s anchor.
The 29-year-old has always been known for his explosive batting, but he claims to have learned how to anchor the innings and take a backseat, much like master chaser Dhoni did at the tail end of his international career.
“See, to be honest, I’ve always enjoyed hitting sixes, but I have to evolve and that is life,” the stand-in T20 skipper said during the press conference after India sealed the T20 series against New Zealand 2-1.
“I have to take the other part where I’ve always believed in partnerships. I want to give my team and the other person more calmness and the assurance that at least I’m there.
“I’ve played more games than any of those guys out there. So, I’ve known the experience and more than the experience part, it’s where I’ve batted, and I’ve learnt how to accept pressure and I’ve learnt how to kind of swallow the pressure and kind of make sure the team and everything is calm,” Hardik added.
Hardik feels it is now his duty to fill the renowned wicketkeeper’s shoes as a batter, and he is willing to compromise his strike-rate to do so. Dhoni is known for his calm demeanour.
“In that way, maybe I have to get my strike rate down or… Taking new opportunities or taking new roles is (something) I’ve always looked forward to. I don’t mind coming in and playing the role which somewhere down the line Maahi (Dhoni) used to play,” he said.
“I think at that time, I was young, and I was hitting all around the park, but now since he has gone, all of a sudden that responsibility… It has just naturally come to me, and I don’t mind (doing it). We’re getting the result we want and it’s okay.”
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