'Have Taken Lot Of Things From MS Dhoni & Virat Kohli': Hardik Pandya Ahead Of Captaincy Debut Vs Ireland

Hardik Pandya said that after he was named captain for India-Ireland series, he has taken a lot of points from Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni.

Hardik Pandya also elaborated on how he now takes more responsibility.

Source : PTI

New Delhi: Hardik Pandya-led Indian cricket team is all set to clash against Ireland in two T20Is on 26th and 28th June in Dublin. India's Test team is playing a four-day warm-up match against Leicestershire. While a Hardik Pandya-led second-string team India is preparing for clash against Ireland, a star-studded Rohit Sharma-led senior team will play a rescheduled one-off Test match against England from July 1. Notably, Hardik Pandya will captain the national squad for the first time.

Speaking in a press conference ahead of India vs Ireland 1st T20 International, Hardik Pandya said that after he was named captain for India-Ireland series, he has taken a lot of points from Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni.

"Obviously, I have taken a lot of things from them (MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli) but mainly, I wanted to be my own self. My understanding of the game is in a different way, for me, I have taken a lot of good points from them but at the same time, I wanted to be natural and kind of, not be instinctive, I see more (the) situation than I can go with my gut.

It is about what the team requires in that point of time, what kind of decision I can take at that point, I focus more on that rather than thinking my gut is saying that, I am going to go there. When you go on gut, it is always 50-50, but I do not believe in that, I like to be practical and I like to see the situation," said the all-rounder.

Hardik Pandya also elaborated on how he now takes more responsibility.

"Earlier also I liked taking the responsibility. Now also, I like it, perhaps a little more now. I think that I have always done better when I have taken the responsibility. When you take your own decisions, it makes you stronger. I will try the same reflects in my captaincy, how I give confidence to players and how I tell them all to keep fighting," he added.