Gujarat Titans captain Hardik Pandya and captain of Chennai Super Kings Mahendra Singh Dhoni, throughout The IPL 2023 opening ceremony of the IPL 2023 at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on March 31, 2023. File
| Photo Credit: Vijay Soneji
Gujarat Titans skipper Hardik Pandya stated that one wants to be a “proper devil” to harbour grudges towards the talismanic Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who might be enjoying his final IPL season.
As the Chennai Super Kings and Gujarat Titans line up to play Qualifier 1 on the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Tuesday, Pandya additionally debunked the parable that Dhoni, some of the profitable India captains, was a severe individual.
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“I’ll always be a Mahendra Singh Dhoni fan and for so many fans out there and so many cricket lovers. You need to be a proper devil to hate Mahendra Singh Dhoni,” stated Pandya in a video posted by Gujarat Titans on social media.
The turnaround Dhoni has effected from final season has as soon as once more introduced the highlight on him as CSK purpose to bag their fifth IPL title after ending second-last in 2022.
While final 12 months the captaincy conundrum took a toll on the aspect, CSK have been in elegant type with the likes of Devon Conway, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Ajinkya Rahane coming collectively to as soon as once more give the staff the look of a title-winning unit.
Pandya stated he had learnt a lot of cricketing nuances from Dhoni, not by selecting his brains however just by watching him in motion.
“A lot of people think Mahi is serious and all that. For me, I crack jokes and I don’t see him as a Mahendra Singh Dhoni.
“Obviously, I’ve learnt a lot of issues from him, a lot of constructive issues, which I’ve learnt from him simply whereas watching, not even a lot speaking,” said Pandya, who would be aiming to retain the IPL title the team won last year by defeating Rajasthan Royals.
The country’s top all-rounder also said that for him MSD was like a brother who he could chill around with.
“For me, he is simply my expensive good friend, expensive brother, who I do pranks, who I chill.”
Gujarat Titans also posted a message terming Dhoni a “Captain. Leader. Legend.@msdhoni is an emotion.”
