On Friday evening, as Hardik Pandya walked into the hall for the designated interview, the highlights of the third Test between Sri Lanka and India were being shown on the TV screen. The Man-of-the-Match of that Test didn\u2019t want to waste a chance of watching himself from the other side of the screen.<\/p>\n
He settled down, but kept stealing glances. That hundred indeed meant a lot for the 23-year-old. In a candid chat with Hindustan Times that followed, he not only spoke on the series and the ton but on a lot other things, including his new hairstyle which caught everybody\u2019s attention in Sri Lanka.<\/p>\n
Excerpts:<\/p>\n
How do you feel after taking part in an overseas tour as a Test cricketer?<\/p>\n
Obviously, I feel happy about how things have gone so far. I mean I went from T20Is to one-day cricket, where my start was pretty amazing and then the Test series was fabulous because I always dreamt of playing for India in whites.<\/p>\n
You never showed any nerves…<\/p>\n
Well, honestly, I just make sure that I see the situation well\u2026 If you see, I didn\u2019t go all brash in my first Test century. When we had lost eight wickets, I understood the situation and played accordingly. I was batting normally but once he (the ninth wicket) fell, I eventually had to go all out.<\/p>\n
I always feel you should be confident. There are people who say I can\u2019t control and but I can rather than focusing on what if this happens or that happens.<\/p>\n
Being the flamboyant type, and Virat Kohli and Ravi Shastri are also somewhat similar, does it help you to understand each other better?<\/p>\n
I\u2019ve seen Virat, and the discipline he has, and the confidence he has. I am confident and I want to learn his discipline. I keep on asking questions, try to learn.<\/p>\n
I might look like a guy who does all kinds of things but actually I am a very reserved person. I may look like I party freak who is not disciplined. But I have a focus on the game and that is always there. It\u2019s okay, people may have issues but it\u2019s just that it\u2019s my nature.<\/p>\n
Virat said he doesn\u2019t want you to change because it brings the best out of you\u2026<\/p>\n
That\u2019s the best thing, because in that way I\u2019m genuine and that\u2019s how they (team) want me to be. I just express whatever I feel. I just focus on those things \u2014 to be genuine and to help people. I can change my work ethics, control my game, be polite to people and be good to people.<\/p>\n
Can you tell us about your new hairstyle?<\/p>\n
I keep on trying. I don\u2019t do it for anyone. I do it for myself, so I don\u2019t care if you like it or don\u2019t like it. It\u2019s just that I felt like doing it so I did it. It\u2019s like owning your own farm. You can always grow whatever you want. So, khud ki kheti hai, jo ugaana hai ugaalo.\u201d<\/p>\n
Are the tattoos and hairstyles a statement?<\/p>\n
I don\u2019t think so. It\u2019s just my personality. I don\u2019t know if that\u2019s going to define future cricketers. If someone wants to have it, go on with it, and if not, I don\u2019t know\u2026 It\u2019s just my personality.<\/p>\n
What does criticism mean to you?<\/p>\n
I have such wonderful people like my brothers, my few friends in my life; I don\u2019t bother about what others are saying about me. I often don\u2019t know what people are talking about. There are people who come and tell me \u2018Hey this is wrong and you should not be doing this\u2019 and I\u2019m pretty open to that.<\/p>\n
You recently gifted a car to your father…<\/p>\n
I like gifting things, my brother and I don\u2019t 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\u2019t answer and I left a message that \u2018we should gift daddy a car\u2019. And, his reply was \u2018ok\u2019. I take all the decisions through Krunal. When he said let\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n
Incidentally, I had a conversation with my father at the end of the first day\u2019s play, when I was batting on 1 and my father casually remarked \u2018add two zeroes to the one tomorrow\u2019. Next day, I actually scored my first Test hundred.<\/p>\n
That hundred was remarkable for the restraint you showed?<\/p>\n
I don\u2019t 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.<\/p>\n
You were all pumped up and when you came on to bowl…<\/p>\n
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\u2019s how I am. I have said in an interview, that \u2018if you want to come and fight, I am not the one who will step back\u2019. When I am bowling I am a different guy, when I bat I am a different guy, I don\u2019t react, I don\u2019t smile much, when I bowl I smile, I fight, I show aggression, everything comes naturally.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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