Before India’s first Twenty20 International against New Zealand in Ranchi, Hardik Pandya spoke with MS Dhoni.
Hardik Pandya is widely recognized for his close relationship with MS Dhoni, the former captain of the Indian cricket team. The veteran has been the recipient of numerous tributes from the all-rounder, so it was not unexpected that the two would meet before the first Twenty20 International against New Zealand. On Wednesday, the team arrived in Ranchi, and Pandya captioned a photo of himself and Dhoni with, “Sholay 2 coming soon.” Since Pandya will be captaining India in this series, it is really meaningful for him.
A sequel to Sholay is currently in production. pic.twitter.com/WixkPuBHg0
A tweet by Hardik Pandya (@hardikpandya7) from January 26, 2023
Pandya poses with Dhoni in two photos that he uploaded to his Instagram. The former captain was riding a shotgun in the sidecar while he piloted the motorcycle.
Pandya has captained the team in the past against Ireland, New Zealand, and Sri Lanka, and he has a stellar record as captain for the Gujarat Titans in the upcoming IPL 2022. As of right now, he will be filling in for Rohit Sharma.
With his first century in more than three years coming in the third match in Indore, Rohit led India to a 3-0 victory in the ODI series against New Zealand. But since the conclusion of the T20 World Cup in Australia last year, he has not participated in a single T20I match for India.
Since neither Rohit nor Virat Kohli has played for India in the shortest format of the sport, and since the selectors are eager to give young players a shot, Pandya may soon be in charge of the Indian side.