"Don't want to imitate anyone" - Lucknow Super Giants' Krunal Pandya on his captaincy
Lucknow Super Giants stand-in captain Krunal Pandya revealed that he never tries to mimic anyone's style as a captain. Instead, the all-rounder prefers to be himself while taking learnings from others.
Pandya had to take charge of the Super Giants with KL Rahul ruled out of the tournament with a thigh injury. The all-rounder has done a promising job, registering two wins in four games for the side.
Speaking to reporters in Kolkata, Pandya stated that if he captains in his own way, the chances of success are higher. As quoted by ESPN Cricinfo, the 32-year-old said:
"When it comes to captaincy, I don't want to imitate anyone. I want to learn good things from everyone, but at the same time, I want to be myself. And if I be myself and do it my way, then the chances of me doing well for the team are higher. I've played cricket hard, I've played cricket in a certain way, and I am applying the same thing here as well."
As far as the all-rounder's personal outings go, he hasn't taken the tournament by fire. In 13 games, he has managed just 171 runs and snared eight scalps.
"Both Hardik and I have played cricket in a certain way" - Krunal Pandya
Krunal Pandya further said that leadership has come naturally to both him and his brother Hardik, given they have seen the game that way and relish the role. He said:
"Both Hardik and I have played cricket in a certain way, whether we were leaders within the team or not... we have always taken that responsibility. We have always seen the game as a leader. So when you see the game in that way, and then when you get the captaincy, it is slightly easier because you are already seeing the game in that way. What happened to KL is a big loss for us, but I've taken this challenge and I'm looking forward to it."
The Super Giants are on the brink of reaching the playoffs with seven wins in 13 games. They will face the Kolkata Knight Riders on Saturday, May 20, at the Eden Gardens.