Just before Qualifier-1 of IPL 2023, Gujarat Titans captain Hardik Pandya has given a big statement. He said one would probably have to be a devil to be at estrangement with the Mahendra Singh Dhoni, playing his last Indian Premier League tournament. Chennai Super Kings and Gujarat Titans will play the first qualifier at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Tuesday.
Pandya, meanwhile, also dispelled the myth that Dhoni, one of India’s most successful captains, is a serious person. Pandya said in a video posted by Gujarat Titans on social media, ‘I will always be a fan of Mahendra Singh Dhoni. For so many fans and so many cricket lovers. You need to be a devil to hate Mahendra Singh Dhoni.
The changes that Dhoni has made in the team compared to the previous season have once again put the Super Kings in the limelight. After finishing ninth out of 10 teams last season, this time the team has made it to the play-offs and is in contention to win its fifth IPL title. In the current season, Devon Conway, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Ajinkya Rahane have performed brilliantly for the Super Kings and made them title contenders.
Pandya said that he has learned many nuances of cricket from Dhoni. He said, ‘Many people think that Mahi (Dhoni) is serious. I crack jokes and I don’t see him as Mahendra Singh Dhoni. Obviously I have learned a lot of things from him, a lot of positive things that I have learned just by watching him, even Don’t even talk much. The country’s top all-rounder also said that Mahendra Singh Dhoni is like a brother to him with whom he can have fun. Gujarat Titans posted a message calling Dhoni a ‘Captain. Leader. Legend and a spirit’.