‘Hardik Pandya doesn’t have to be MS Dhoni’: Former India cricketer jumps into defence of T20I skipper | Cricket News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: Indian T20I skipper Hardik Pandya received a lot of flak on social media for denying young Tilak Verma a fifty in the third T20I against the West Indies.

Hardik smashed a six to take India home in their pursuit of 160 as Verma remained unbeaten on 49 at the other end.

But Hardik hitting six did not go well with the fans as they compared his act with former skipper MS Dhoni who famously defended the ball to let Virat Kohli finish off things.
Former India cricketer and now a commentator Aakash Chopra has come out in support of Hardik saying he doesn’t need to become like the former Indian skipper even if he considers him to be his idol.

“Hardik Pandya has been trolled a lot. He has got a lot of criticism, but then there is another school of thought that why are you making so much noise about a milestone? So he is in the middle of conversations.”
“I remember MS Dhoni defending a ball as he wanted Virat Kohli, who was at the other end, to finish it off. So that was Dhoni, but Hardik does not have to be Dhoni. He doesn’t need to do or become like Dhoni even if he considers him his idol,” said Chopra.