"Hardik does not have to be Dhoni" - Aakash Chopra on Hardik Pandya's captaincy heading into 4th India vs West Indies T20I
Aakash Chopra feels Hardik Pandya does not need to follow whatever MS Dhoni used to do just because he idolizes the former Indian skipper.
India will face the West Indies in the penultimate game of the five-match T20I series in Lauderhill, Florida, on Saturday, August 12. Hardik, who hit a maximum to seal the third T20I in the Men in Blue's favor, will hope to win the final two games and clinch the series.
While previewing the fourth T20I in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra pointed out that Hardik has been in the news for denying Tilak Varma the opportunity to score a half-century. However, he pointed out that the Indian skipper doesn't need to follow in Dhoni's footsteps. He elaborated:
"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."
The former Indian opener added:
"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."
Hardik seemed to ask Varma to take it easy and remain unbeaten in the third T20I against the Windies. However, the Indian captain himself tried to play a few big shots and finished the game with a six when the youngster was unbeaten on 49 at the other end.
"There is a slight radical shift" - Aakash Chopra on Hardik Pandya's handling of Axar Patel
![Hardik Pandya bowled out Axar Patel before Nicholas Pooran came to the crease in the 3rd T20I. [P/C: Twitter]](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2023/08/e2e34-16918152724303-1920.jpg?w=500)
Reflecting on Hardik Pandya's usage of his bowlers, Aakash Chopra pointed out that he handled Axar Patel disparately in the last two T20Is. He observed:
"I am trying to read Hardik Pandya's captaincy that how he uses his bowlers. He goes with six bowlers, which is a very good thing, but how does he use those six bowlers? He doesn't bowl Axar Patel at all at times and when he does, he gave him four overs at a stretch. So there is a slight radical shift."
The reputed commentator was also surprised by Hardik's call to use Mukesh Kumar purely as a death bowler. He stated:
"Then to not at all bowl Mukesh Kumar. You bowled three of your overs before him and Mukesh Kumar gets the 18th and 20th over in the end. There is nothing wrong or right in this. You can do whatever you want to do but it is almost impossible to understand the game's pattern with Hardik."
Chopra concluded by observing that Hardik is quite unpredictable in his way of captaincy. He added that while it is great if the opposition team gets surprised by his moves, it can prove counterproductive if his own team members lack clarity regarding their roles.