‘Put the team in front’: Hardik Pandya reveals MS Dhoni-mantra to avoid pressure

In a recent interview, Hardik revealed how Dhoni’s advice helped him overcome the scoreboard pressure and how it also helped him progress in his career.

India all-rounder Hardik Pandya, who is recovering from a back injury, has spoken about the influence of MS Dhoni on his career many times in the past. In a recent interview, Hardik revealed how Dhoni’s advice helped him overcome the scoreboard pressure and how it also helped him progress in his career. “MS told me once, that if you want to get rid off the pressure of your own pressure then stop looking at your score on the scoreboard. Put the team in front and you will never feel the pressure. To be honest, since then I have never felt that kind of pressure that I used to feel earlier,” Pandya told India Today.

File image of Hardik Pandya, MS Dhoni (PTI)

The Baroda all-rounder also recalled the conversation he had with former India captain Rahul Dravid and how this helped him understand the importance of playing according to the situation.

“I actually started learning one thing from Rahul Dravid. I have started picking the right balls. There was an India A meeting after the 2015 World Cup, I was picked for Zimbabwe series, I was not there on the India tour to Australia as well. I also had a bad IPL.

“So what happened was, I was with the Baroda state team. I got a call from BCCI, saying I might have to fly to Australia as Vijay Shankar has got an injury or something. So I went there and in a meeting someone said that I am going to play my natural game. So, Rahul Dravid did not agree to that and said there is no (such) thing as natural game.