Though Hardik Pandya will miss Mumbai Indians’ opening game in IPL 2025 against Chennai Super Kings on Sunday in Chennai due to a one-match suspension carrying forward from last year’s IPL, former India spinner Harbhajan Singh believes the all-rounder’s belief in himself to do things separates him from others. IPL 2025 shapes up as an important tournament for Pandya, the IPL 2022 winning captain who had a torrid last season in every aspect. The decision taken by MI management to make him the captain in place of Rohit Sharma after coming in from the Gujarat Titans resulted in the crowd booing the all-rounder in first half of IPL 2024, even as the five-time champions finished last in the points table.
“He was always a very confident player from day one of joining the team in 2015. He was also a very positive guy with ‘yes I can do this’ attitude. Since then, his positive instinct has been better than before.”
“He has more belief in himself now that I can do these things and he’s done it. So, that’s one of his biggest strengths which differentiates himself from others. Now he has got the experience of playing almost 10 years now – not just the IPL, but also a lot of international cricket,” said Harbhajan, a JioStar expert, to IANS in a virtual interaction prior to the 18th edition of the tournament.
Harbhajan had seen a young Pandya coming in as a rookie in the star-studded MI set-up and shine in the 2015 IPL, and he believes the all-rounder still has that confidence plus positivity from that phase to emerge stronger as the side’s leader in the upcoming tournament starting from Saturday.
“It’s good to see the way he progressed himself for Mumbai Indians over the years, and then he was leading GT for 2 years, where he was brilliant there as well. Yes, last year wasn’t that great for him since he was coming back to Mumbai Indians.”
“But I think he has left everything behind, as after that, a lot of good things have happened – like he played a major role for Team India to lift two ICC trophies. So, I think that this year Hardik Pandya will be at his best when we talk about his captainship or skillsets wise. When you are at peace, you are happy, enjoying yourself and kind of getting the best out of the other players.”
“So, hopefully, we will see the best of Hardik Pandya this year, because it seems like whatever wrong has happened last year is gone and this year will be a fresh start. I am hoping for him and his team to fire at the right time,” concluded Harbhajan.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
Topics mentioned in this article
