"I don't play this sport to show anything to anybody" - Hardik Pandya ahead of captaincy stint in IRE vs IND 2022
Hardik Pandya isn't concerned about proving "anything to anybody" in his maiden stint as Team India captain in the upcoming T20I series against Ireland.
The all-rounder is in the midst of a stunning comeback phase. He led IPL debutants Gujarat Titans (GT) to a dominating title win in the 2022 season, his first as captain.
The 28-year-old was the team's top scorer and contributed brilliantly with the ball as well. He received an India call-up after months and a consistent showing in the recent T20Is against South Africa earned him the captaincy duties for the tour of Ireland.
On the eve of the first match, he was asked how he would want to prove himself before regular captain Rohit Sharma, currently busy on a parallel tour of England, and other senior players return. Pandya confidently replied:
"I am not here to show anything to anybody. I have got an opportunity to lead India, that itself is a big thing for me. I don't play this sport to show anything to anybody. I am good enough. I will see in the future, otherwise more than anything I am just focussing on what I can bring in this series."
Captain @hardikpandya7 and Head Coach @VVSLaxman281 address the huddle on the eve of the first T20I against Ireland.
#TeamIndia https://t.co/aLVWAbVf53
Not many gave Pandya and the Titans a chance to even reach the qualifiers of IPL 2022, mostly because the skipper didn't have much to show in terms of experience. But he, alongside head coach Ashish Nehra, proved to be a collected leader who got the best out of everyone as GY played like a unit.
"There will be situations where we will be giving caps to people" - Hardik Pandya
Grateful for the opportunity. We’ll give it our all 
An honour to lead #TeamIndia 🇮🇳 Grateful for the opportunity. We’ll give it our all ✌️💥 https://t.co/6D13DlCFop
The Indian squad for the Ireland tour comprises three uncapped players, while the rest are all fighting for spots for the 2022 T20 World Cup. Pandya said the team will look to balance playing the "best 11" and "giving [debut] caps to people".
He said:
"We want to give opportunity to people but at the same time we want to play with the best 11 as well. But there will be situations where we will be giving caps to people. It's about making sure that when we go into the park, we have the best 11 playing. So, that will be focus."
It will be interesting to see how he and interim coach VVS Laxman find the right team balance. India stuck to the same playing XI during the recent series against South Africa. Only two players - Shreyas Iyer and Rishabh Pant - have been excluded from the Ireland tour, while three have been included - Sanju Samson, Suryakuamar Yadav, and Rahul Tripathi.
Also Read: [In Pictures] Hardik Pandya and VVS Laxman address Team India ahead of 1st T20I against Ireland