Hardik Pandya reveals how MS Dhoni saved his career with THIS decision – WATCH

Former India skipper MS Dhoni remains one of the best captains that cricket has ever witnessed and he is the reason behind success of numerous cricketers like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Yuzvendra Chahal, etc.

Notably, Hardik Pandya is also one of those cricketers who flourished under Dhoni’s guidance and in a recent interview, the all-rounder went on to reveal how Dhoni groomed the youngster when he was young to the side and did not know what to do.

“I have learned a lot from everyone, especially Mahi Bhai. When I went there, I was a raw material, and he gave me a lot of freedom. He wanted me to make my own mistakes and learn from them. He wanted me to learn on my own so that I could survive harder. He never shows that he’s there, but he’s always there for you behind the scenes,” Hardik Pandya, who was recently appointed the captain of the new IPL franchise based out of Ahmedabad, told veteran journalist Boria Majumdar on his show Backstage with Boria.

“When I came there, I was like ‘Mahendra Singh Dhoni will look after everything.’ At that time, I thought why he’s not saying a lot of things. I thought he’ll tell me to bowl here or bowl there. Later, I realized he wanted me to learn on my own so, I can survive more. On the field, he wanted me to be rough, he wanted me to learn things,” added the all-rounder.

So is he bowling full tilt? Will he be the all rounder India wants him to be in the @IPL ? Who is his role model as leader? @hardikpandya7 candid and forthright on all things and his leader mentor @msdhoni #BackstageWithBoria @R1SEWorldwide pic.twitter.com/y2f1JSk7u6

— Boria Majumdar (@BoriaMajumdar) January 25, 2022

Also, Hardik recalled how Dhoni saved his career by showing trust in the Baroda player as he had leaked too many runs in his first over on his T20I debut.

“I remember giving 22 or 24 runs (19) in my first over on (T20I) debut and I genuinely thought it’s my first and last game. So, when he asked me to bowl the second over, I thought he’s referring to someone else. Then I went and obviously, things changed. So, what I learnt from him is that he never showed he’s there but he was always there,” Pandya said.

Meanwhile, Hardik, who is currently recovering from a back injury, said that his full focus is on returning as an all-rounder after being out of action since a while due to fitness issues.

“My preparation is all about playing as an all-rounder. My hard work is about being an all-rounder and I’m feeling good and strong about it. My way of leadership is about setting examples,” the 28-year-old said.