Hardik Pandya

In bowling, it's important to assess the situations and use your weapons.

I used to hear that after an IPL season a youngster can grow. That happened to me.

I think I am a showman.

I don't have anything to lose when I go on the field.

I never saw him as MS Dhoni the greatest. For me, Mahi is my brother.

MS was someone who understood me from the start: how I function, what kind of a person I am, what are the things I don't like, everything.

My preparation is all about playing as an all-rounder.

My way of leadership is about setting examples.

I always wanted cars, fancy things and the only way I could get that was through my sport.

No one knew who Hardik Pandya was before 2015 IPL.

I wasn't the guy who would just say things for courtesy's sake. And people didn't like that.

I am not Kapil Dev, never wanted to be. I am happy being Hardik Pandya and please allow me to stay that way.

For me, bowling short and the hard lengths have been my strengths. It's about using them well and asking the right questions to make the batters commit a mistake.

I am a bat freak. Even if I have one match bat I carry eight bats to make my kit look heavy. Same with gloves: seven to eight pairs.

I owe a lot to the IPL as it has changed my cricket and my life.

I want to play for the country in all formats.

Dad's dream was that we should play for India, and when I left school, I had no option but to succeed in cricket.

My father used to take us on his bike to the academy, which was 25 km away from our house. We were struggling a lot but there was a strong belief that eventually cricket will take care of everything. And it did.

I have always felt that if you go one step ahead in your fitness, there are many more magical moments in your life waiting.

Injuries have always kept me going, always kept me motivated, actually taught me how much I have to put hard yards and the hard work has always increased, never decreased.

No one wants to get injured but I accept the fact that what I do, injuries will be a part.

In my life, I have realised one thing that injuries would be with me.

In 2016, I played for Mumbai and they promoted me to no.3. I didn't have a good time.

As a child, it's always a dream to play for your country.

I've believed in partnerships and I want to give my batting partner and my team some assurance and calmness that I'm there.

To be honest, I don't keep goals because I let something out of the box happen. I just focus on preparing well and focus on the areas I wish to work on.

Wherever my team requires me to play, I don't generally demand where I want to bat. That's not how I've got success.

Runs are important and especially when your team wins.

If you prepare well and tick all the boxes, if you're confident about your skills, you will be calm.

I'll try to work on being an all-rounder and if something doesn't work out then my batting is always there. But Hardik Pandya combined with both bat and ball, it sounds better than just a batter.

I've always realised that as an all-rounder I give a lot of different options to the team.

I have always worked hard in my life, and it has always given me the result I wanted.

My career started under MS, then Virat took over. I've improved under both of them.

If you are 50 for 5 and you go out and get out while trying to hit a six and then say later that I was just playing my natural game then it is foolish.

If you want to to be a smart cricketer, you have to play according to the situation.

I actually started learning one thing from Rahul Dravid. I have started picking the right balls.

I used to have Mumbai Indians posters in my room growing up, and to win with them. Amazing.

When someone like your captain and coach backs you, the confidence increases and you look to express yourself and that brings out the best in you.

Ashish Nehra made a big difference in my life - we are very similar in terms of cricketing thoughts. We might be two different personalities but when it comes to cricket we are very similar.

You never know when my team is down and I might stand up and do something special. I focus on that.

I think that magical things do happen. So, I let my game speak and go with the situation.

I see myself as a proper all-rounder and not bowling or batting all- rounder.

I am always learning the game and making sure I am always learning from my mistakes in every game I play in.

Having played so many matches, I'm able to use my experience.

I have a bit of understanding of the game having batted for so many years.

I'm always a cricketer who loves to take responsibilities.

I know whenever the opportunity comes, I will deliver.

I want responsibility. It allows me to make the right decision, to manage things. I know I will make the right decisions because I own them.

Obviously, it's always a honour to lead your country.

Before going into the IPL I was thinking: I am doing amazingly well in the domestic circuit, will I do the same in the IPL? That is why I used to work out like anything.