I Don't Take Risks Which Is Going To Harm My Team: Hardik Pandya After Ind Vs Pak Heroics

For Hardik, this year 2022 has been outstanding as under his leadership, Gujarat Titans became the IPL Champions in their inaugural season.

Hardik Pandya in action.

Source : PTI

The ace Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya has been consistently contributing to the team both with bat and ball. In the Super 12 Group B match against Pakistan, he played a vital knock of 40 runs and helped India beat Pakistan by four wickets. 

For Hardik, this year 2022 has been outstanding as under his leadership, Gujarat Titans became the IPL Champions in their inaugural season.

Recently, Deepti Sharma ran out of England's Charlie Dean and it became the topic of debate and came under a lot of assessment. The Baroda-based all-rounder spoke about the incident on the latest episode of ‘ICC Review’ and said, “We need to stop making a fuss about this running out the non-striker. It is a rule, as simple as that. To hell with the spirit of the game, if it is there, it is there. Personally, I have no problem with it. If I am out of my crease, and someone runs me out, it is fine. It is my mistake”.

According to Hardik, match-ups are overrated in the T20I format as he stated, "Matchups don't work for me, see where I bat and the situation I get into, I do not get the option of matchups. You see matchups are more for the people who are batting in Top 3 or 4. For me, it is just the situation. There have been times when I would like to take on a bowler, but if the situation does not demand it, I do not take that risk as it is going to harm my team”.

"I am never okay with that. Matchups, it is over-rated. I do not mind saying it, in T20 cricket, it is over-rated. In ODIs and Tests, it might work but in T20s, I do not believe it. Yes, I have not won a World Cup, but I have won other tournaments and I do not think I have ever worried about matchups," he added.

Hardik signed off after talking about his goals as he said, "Ever since I have made a comeback, the ambition is to the best version of myself and to get the best out of myself. I am running towards, not greatness I would say, but excellence. I am running towards excellence, if I want to achieve something, I think it would be excellence, not performance. At the end of my career, if I can say to myself, you know what Hardik, you achieved excellence at one point of time, it would be great."