Half-a-decade back Hardik Pandya meant a super talented cricket allrounder, but with a lot of flamboyance who flaunted and justified his Caribbean attitude or the ‘West Indian’ tag.

However, the same Pandya looks a changed man who understands responsibilities with a calm authority, something that perhaps Mahendra Singh Dhoni excelled in on the field while guiding his troop. Pandya is often caught in the camera having animated chats or delivering a supercharged speech in a team huddle. However, his captaincy prowess is emanating hopes of carrying forward a heavyweight legacy that Dhoni may leave behind when it comes to the cash-rich Indian Premier League.

And, if Pandya has to tread that route of legacy, he certainly couldn’t have been vocal about the remorse he may have felt in not winning the IPL 2023, coming too close to lifting the trophy for the second straight year.

Moreover, it is what Pandya said after his side, Gujarat Titans‘, defeat to Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings in the IPL final that resonates of what a responsible character Pandya is emerging out to be.

No body wants to lose. However, Pandya said, if he had to lose, he would rather lose against Dhoni.

“I’m very happy for him (MS Dhoni), destiny had this written. If I had to lose, I’d rather lose to him. Good things happen to good people, and he’s been one of the best people I know. God has been kind, God has been kind to me as well but today was his night,” Hardik Pandya said at the time of the post-match presentation.

Gujarat Titans had debuted in IPL last year and they won the trophy under Pandya’s captaincy. This year too they were tad short of winning the trophy as the rain-curtailed match swung in CSK’s favour – a destiny like the captain said.Defending champions Gujarat Titans led the table in group stages, winning 10 matches out of 14. The team also included Orange cap winner Shubman Gill who scored most runs in this edition of IPL, while Mohhamad Shami, Rashid Khan and Mohit Sharma with a haul of 28, 27 and 26 wickets were the leading wicket takers of the tournament.

“I think we tick a lot of boxes as a team. We play with a lot of heart, really proud of the way we kept fighting. We have a motto – we win together, we lose together. I’m not going to make excuses, CSK played better cricket. We batted really well, special mention to Sai (Sudarshan), not easy to play that well at this level. We have been backing the boys and trying to make sure we get the best out of them. But their success is their success. The way they have put their hand up and delivered – Mohit, Rashid, Shami everyone,” Pandya said, not flinching for a moment to pay the respect his teammates deserve for their efforts.

The franchise too had shown confidence in Pandya at a time when he was trying to get his seat back in the Indian cricket team bus, after battling injuries that risked his allrounder abilities.

Former cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar had once said Pandya is a changed man now and he sees a lot of ambition in him. Pandya himself had acknowledged the change in his perspective of life, which he had attributed was brought about after becoming a father.

Gujarat Titans’ skipper Pandya, like last season, has emerged as a steadfast captain who has shown maturity in decisions. Pandya is now just a shadow of a ‘casual boy’ on the ground he used to be before getting suspended from the Indian team for off-field controversies. Perhaps, India in Pandya can even get a future captain for the national side.