Indian all-rounder cricketer Hardik Pandya has said that former skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni played an important role in his career and growth.
Talking to ESPNcricinfo.com, Pandya said that Dhoni knows exactly what to say to calm him and has immensely supported him throughout the different stages of his career.
The Indian allrounder showered former Indian cricket team captain, Mahendra Singh Dhoni with praises as he shared his close relation with him. Hardik said Mahi has always been like a brother and he respects and admires him for being there when he needed him the most.
Hardik further said that Dhoni understands the kind of individual he is and knows him very closely. "He is the only person who can make me calm. When all this happened, he knew that I needed support. I just needed a shoulder, which he provided multiple times in my cricketing career," he added.
"The biggest so far, I will say, because this time I don't have Mahendra Singh Dhoni. Everything is on my shoulders -- I like to think that way because it gives me an added challenge. It is going to be exciting, a cracker of a tournament," said Pandya, whose fitness is a concern heading into the event as he did not bowl in the IPL.
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This would be India's first World Cup campaign since Dhoni retired in 2020 and the side will open its campaign against Pakistan on October 24 here.
