I’ll never be able to fill MS Dhoni’s shoes, admits Hardik Pandya

The 26-year-old and his teammate KL Rahul was at the receiving end of a suspension and an outpouring of condemnation last year for their loose talk on women on the TV show hosted by Bollywood director Karan Johar. The duo was openly criticised by their captain Virat Kohli and was called back from an ongoing series against Australia at that time. Both were eventually allowed back into the fold after they had explained themselves and apologized. 

"We as cricketers did not know what was going to happen. The ball was not in my court, it was in someone else's court where they had to take the shot and that's a very vulnerable place, you don't want to be (in it)," Pandya told India Today's show 'Inspiration'.

While Rahul is currently playing in the T20 series against Sri Lanka, Pandya has been on the sidelines with a back injury since September 2019. However, he is expected to be back next month for the tour of New Zealand and take up the finisher's role in India’s batting line-up permanently from the legendary Dhoni. 

"I'll never be able to fill MS' shoes, so I don't even think that way. I'm quite excited for the challenge to be honest. Whatever I do, it will be always for the team you know. It will be one step at the ladder and slowly-slowly that Cup will be there," Pandya added.

The all-rounder will, in the meantime, travel with the India ‘A’ squad to New Zealand.