"Don't compare me with Kapil Dev, I'm Hardik Pandya"

“I have never wanted to be Kapil Dev. Let me be Hardik Pandya.” Just like that Pandya dumped one of the most desirable comparisons for any cricketer. But Hardik Pandya is not just any cricketer. The very idea of being mentioned in the same sentence with one of the world’s greatest all-rounders does not excite him. In fact, it acts as a barrier between him and his own identity.

“I have never wanted to be Kapil Dev. Let me be Hardik Pandya.” Just like that Pandya dumped one of the most desirable comparisons for any cricketer. But Hardik Pandya is not just any cricketer. The very idea of being mentioned in the same sentence with one of the world’s greatest all-rounders does not excite him. In fact, it acts as a barrier between him and his own identity.

On Sunday, the man that turned the third Test match in India’s favour in 29 balls was not the great Kapil Dev. It was a supremely confident young man named Hardik Pandya. The one, who sports a different hairstyle every series like a high-profile footballer, the one having an unmissable flare and most importantly, the one who knows how to hold his own in a cricket field.

Whether good times or bad, the Kapil Dev tag has been like a permanent tattoo on Pandya, the scarcity of quality seam bowling all-rounders in India being one of the major reasons behind it. But it’s not his fault that it took almost 25 years for India to find an all-format seam-bowling all-rounder.

“I am good at being Hardik Pandya, reached here till now, I have played 40 ODIs and now 10 Test matches being Hardik Pandya, not Kapil Dev,” Pandya said.

The Pandya that turned up on an overcast Sunday afternoon at Trent Bridge was the one the Indian team management vouches for. He moved the ball at brisk pace, surprised the batsmen with an occasional bouncer and returned with his career-best figures of 5 for 28 in a six-over spell that kept India alive in the series.

And just like the edges of England batsmen, the Kapil Dev comparisons followed. The problem is, they are not always positive.  The ‘If only Kapil paaji was there…’ sighs pierce through Pandya’s career whenever he fails to bail India out of trouble after a top-order collapse. They become sharper with his every lose delivery. And Pandya is well aware of it.

“Comparisons are fine. But the problem with this (comparison) is that all of a sudden when something goes wrong and they are like he is not that.”

"They have created their era, let me be Hardik Pandya. Let's stop comparing me with anyone. I will be happy if you don't," Pandya added.

Interestingly, on the eve of the first Test, former West Indies fast bowler, Michael Holding questioned Pandya’s position in the Indian side, terming him not suited for Test cricket.

"I don't think he does a lot with the ball. That is number one," Holding said. "He is not consistent. He does not have the control that puts batsmen under pressure constantly. He will bowl a couple of good deliveries, yes, but you need to have the control to put batsmen under pressure consistently. And he doesn't have that,” Holding had said.

Ironically, Pandya displayed the same skill sets to skittle England out in one session and helped India get huge first innings lead of 168 runs.

"I don't play for them (critics). They are getting paid for saying things which I don't even want to know or care. I play for my country. I am doing the right thing. My team is happy with me, nothing else matters," he said, aiming his guns at the recent criticism that has come after defeats in Birmingham and Lord's.

Pandya has the stats to back his comments. His bowling average of 17.50 in this series, is the best among all India bowlers. He has picked eight wickets at that average and strike rate of 24.80. His strike rate is the best among all bowlers from both sides in this series. He took his career's first three-wicket haul in the last Test and a maiden five-for in this Test sending a strong reminder on why India should cherish a Hardik Pandya instead of reminiscing about Kapil Dev.