Hardik Pandya, the captain of Gujarat Titans, has been open and expressive about his admiration and friendship with former India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni. The bond between them is special, with Pandya considering Dhoni as an idol and a source of learning.
As a captain himself, Pandya maintains a calm and composed demeanor, similar to Dhoni’s renowned “captain cool” persona. In the upcoming Qualifier 1 of IPL 2023, Pandya’s Gujarat Titans will face Dhoni’s Chennai Super Kings at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on May 23. In a video shared by Gujarat Titans, Pandya emphasized the strong connection he shares with Dhoni, describing him as a friend and a brother, and even stating that it takes a truly malevolent person to harbor hatred towards the 41-year-old cricketer.
“A lot of people think Mahi is serious and all that. For me, 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, which I have learned from him just while watching, not even much talking. But for me, he is just my dear friend, dear brother, who I do pranks, who I chill, and I will 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,”
Hardik said.
CSK and GT gear up for Qualifier 1 of IPL 2023
The Gujarat Titans and Chennai Super Kings have faced each other three times in the history of the tournament. The Titans emerging victorious on all three occasions. Throughout the existence of the Gujarat Titans in the IPL, CSK has been unable to defeat them. However, CSK will be aiming to reverse their fortunes and secure a win at their home ground. Conversely, the Gujarat Titans will be aiming to continue their dominance over CSK.
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