Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh said that Hardik Pandya should become Indian captain as he has the capability to lead the national side and is pretty similar to MS Dhoni.
The nail-biter clash between India and Pakistan in Dubai had Hardik Pandya written all over it. The all-rounder stood tall for his side with both bat and ball and helped his side beat the arch-rivals by 5 wickets.
Hardik first troubled Pakistani batters with his short balls and returned with the figures of 3/25 that helped India bundle out the opposition for just 147 runs.
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If this was not enough, he then took matters into his hands with the bat too and took his side home. Pandya came to bat when India found itself tumbling at 89/4.
The right-hander stood calm and scored 33* in 17 balls including the winning six he hit against Mohammad Nawaz in the last over to take his team past the finishing line. Hardik was also awarded Player of the Match for his heroics and his performance made many applaud him.
Speaking to SportsTak, Harbhajan Singh said that Hardik Pandya will become Indian captain as he’s like MS Dhoni and he trusts his ability.
"He should become captain, I think he will become captain. He has shown a different avatar in the recent past. He has become like an MS Dhoni, he is very calm and composed. He is batting very well and he trusts his ability very much," Harbhajan Singh said.
Harbhajan highlighted the different level of swag Hardik has and said that he has all the capabilities to be the captain of Team India going forward.
"When he goes out to bat, there is a different level of swag. He has worked so hard and returned to action that he knows he will be able to do the job and win games for India.
"I do see him becoming captain of India. The way he showcased his temperament during the match against Pakistan, and during the IPL as well, was brilliant. I think he has got all the capabilities to be the national team's captain going forward," he said.
After the T20 World Cup 2021, many thought that Hardik’s career was over but he proved them wrong and worked hard during his time away from cricket. The all-rounder then made a comeback through IPL 2022, where he led Gujarat Titans.
In his very first season as a captain, he was exceptional as he led his side to title victory in their maiden season. Not only this, but he also led from the front with both bat and ball.
His impressive comeback was lauded by many and he even got the opportunity to lead the Indian side during the Ireland series, where India completed a 2-0 whitewash under him.
Since then, many have touted him as India’s next captain and it remains to be seen what the future holds for him.
(Sports Tak inputs)
