‘On field, I am a ruthless cricketer’
I don’t think so. It’s just my personality. I don’t know if that’s going to define future cricketers. If someone wants to have it, go on with it, and if not, I don’t know… It’s just my personality. this’ and I’m pretty open to that. I like gifting things, my brother and I don’t forget people. If I have taken 10 things from somebody, then I will give you 100 back. Of course my father is my father. Two days before I got my hundred (in the third Test at Pallekele), I was not able to sleep.
It was almost 2.30 am and I had to get up at 6.30, usually I sleep at 10.30 during match days. I called Krunal (elder brother). He didn’t answer and I left a message that ‘we should gift daddy a car’. And, his reply was ‘OK’. I take all the decisions through Krunal.
When he said let’s do it, in one day it was arranged. But more than anything for us as a family the most important thing is looking into the happiness of each other.
Incidentally, I had a conversation with my father at the end of the first day’s play, when I was batting on 1 and my father casually remarked ‘add two zeroes to the one tomorrow’. Next day, I actually scored my first Test hundred. I don’t know why people think I cannot control myself. I was just playing according to the situation. I can hit, but it is not that I can only hit. I played my junior cricket as a No 3 batsman. I am someone who likes to be charged up. (When in the middle) I only focus on my game and I just want to be ruthless, that’s how I am.
I have said in an interview,
CANDID Allrounder says he is different person when he his bowling, a different guy when he is batting
that ‘if you want to come and fight, I am not the one who will step back’.
When I am bowling I am a different guy, when I bat I am a different guy, I don’t react, I don’t smile much, when I bowl I smile, I fight, I show aggression, everything comes naturally. I don’t mind. They want to name me rockstar, I am happy. But I am
Hardik Pandya, who knows his game.