“I don’t focus on which I can’t control.” Hardik Pandya opened up about managing expectations as the new Mumbai Indians captain and his equation with Rohit Sharma…
📹: Mumbai Indians
📹: Mumbai Indians
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00:00This team, what it has achieved, it has achieved under his belt and from now onwards, it is
00:07just going to be what he has already achieved, I just carry forward that.
00:10So I don't think it will be any awkward or anything different.
00:13How did you deal with the backlash after Rohit Sharma was appointed as the captain?
00:17I control the controllables, I don't focus on which I can't control and at the same point
00:22of time, we are very grateful to the fans.
00:24I think a lot of things, a lot of fame, a lot of name, a lot of love comes from them
00:28and they have every right, I respect their opinion.
00:34I wanted to ask Hardik, you played all your career under Rohit, how different will this
00:39be that he is in the team where you are the captain, while we know that he is still the
00:43India captain.
00:44Is that any different, is that a little more complicated?
00:49First of all, it won't be any different because he is going to be always there to help me
00:55out if I need his help.
00:58At the same point of time, you mentioned that he is the captain of Indian team as well,
01:01which helps me because this team, what it has achieved, it has achieved under his belt
01:08and from now onwards, it is just going to be what he has already achieved, I just carry
01:13forward that.
01:14So I don't think it will be any awkward or anything different.
01:17It will be a nice feeling because we have been playing for 10 years.
01:19I played whole my career under him and I know he is going to have a shoulder, a hand on
01:25my shoulder always throughout the season.
01:27How did you deal with the backlash after Rohit Sharma was appointed as the captain?
01:31The fan was completely against you and they took on social media and expressed their outrage.
01:36To be very honest, we respect fans, everything, but at the same point of time, we focus on
01:41the sport.
01:43I focus on what is required.
01:45I control the controllables, I don't focus on which I can't control and at the same point
01:50of time, we are very grateful to fans.
01:52I think a lot of things, a lot of fame, a lot of name, a lot of love comes from them
01:56and they have every right, I respect their opinion.
02:00At the same point of time, we are excited and we are going to focus on the sport.
02:04Mumbai Indians have won 5 titles under Rohit Sharma, you have led Gujarat Titans to victory
02:10in the first season.
02:11How easy or difficult is it going to be to live up to the expectations of the fans and
02:15the franchisee to win the 6th title?
02:18I am a very firm believer that in certain areas, especially managing expectations, you
02:25should focus on the process.
02:28Because I can't win the IPL tomorrow, I still have to wait a couple of months down the line.
02:33So what can I do in those couple of months as a group is how we prepare, how we look
02:38after each other, how we create our brotherhood, how we make sure that we know each other in
02:44and out, from knowing our families, what are we up to, because that kind of helps us
02:49to achieve the expectations which everyone has.
02:53And yeah, we can only promise, the results are something which are, I think, never in
02:57anyone's hand.
02:58But the only thing we can promise is that we are going to play a brand which everyone
03:01will enjoy and at the same point of time, go out there and kind of push our boundaries
03:05as well.
03:06And I think that is more exciting and you know, I am very, very, very, very excited
03:10and very looking forward to that kind of approach from all the boys.
03:14So it will be very exciting to play.