Is Hardik the next Kapil Dev, the next MS, the next captain?

Honhaar birwaan ke hot chikne paat

I began my career in 1995 as an equity analyst. Once an analyst, always an analyst. The main purpose of an equity analyst is to forecast, to predict, to crystal ball gaze the future of a stock price.

Forecasting is both an art and science.

Science is data. Art is interpreting the data.

Seeing Hardik play (both with the bat and the ball) in the India V Pakistan game on 28/8/2022 in Dubai, I want to make a bold prediction.

I have seen Hardik debut with the Mumbai Indians in 2015. I signed him for my brand D:FY in 2017. I have seen him close. I watched him injure his back in 2018. I watched in agony his controversial KWK episode and the trolling. I also see him leave MI. I saw him captain Gujarat Titans (back players like Rahul Tewatia and Wridhi) to the maiden IPL title. I also watched him play, and speak on 28th August, 2022.

I have enough data (science). Now to the interpretation (art).

The art is in the transformation of him, both the outgoing personality and the cricketer.

For those who don’t know his background, he comes from an impoverished background. Both the brothers struggled a lot. When you don’t have it, and then you have it, you end up showing off. It is your way of telling more to yourself and less to the world, I made it. I deserve it. Recognize me. I have been through the same cycle.

Hear his struggle story from Nita Ambani.

But the struggle also teaches you to course-correct, reflect and move forward. Ditto for Hardik.

The over-criticism of his flamboyance changed him. His parents (and family) played a huge role. He got married and became a father. That changed him too. His injury also changed him. The reflection of what is at stake and how easily it can get lost (especially from where he came) changed him too.

To borrow from Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar where Brutus talks to Cassius saying,

“There is a tide in the affairs of men, Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune; Omitted, all the voyage of their life Is bound in shallows and in miseries.”

Hardik grabbed the tide. His fortune changed.

·??????He trained hard on his strength post-injury. He was lanky. Not anymore. He is really strong now.

·??????From bowling fast irrespective to bowling fast and according to the pitch

·??????From hitting every ball to giving respect to the ball (and not getting out)

·??????From ignoring the situation to playing according to it

·??????From playing as a junior to emerging as a senior

·??????From an all-rounder to a captain

One other thing I observed.

His social media posts have changed. It is full of family pictures. His handle has changed, from Hardik Pandya to include his late dad, Hardik Himanshu Pandya.

This is a new Hardik.

Some anecdotes that also reflect the new Hardik:

To Rishabh Pant, ‘Pehle game ko end tak to leke ja…phir maarna.”

To Sanjay Manjrekar on 28/8 …over the years, have understood being calm, helps me execute my plans better (…calm like MSD) ….when asked on the pressure he was on, ‘Not me, the bowler is under much more pressure than me.’ Guess who else had said something earlier?

MS Dhoni!

Hear the interview to hear the resemblance to MSD and how MSD has influenced the cricketer and the person (calm):

In the 2022 ICC T20 WC, he could be seen spending time with MSD (he has with the team). Another MSD borrowed phrase, “the scoreboard tells me how to play.” He is an MSD-bhakt.

He is also very smart.

He has deeply understood what lies ahead: the opportunity to captain India. Rohit cannot be the captain in all three formats. Virat is not interested.

The other options.

Jasprit Bumrah, Rishabh Pant and KL Rahul?

All great players. But captain? I doubt.

If not Rohit, then who?

The analyst in me predicts:

1.???????Hardik will captain India in white ball cricket.

2.?????He will go on to lead India, like the great Kapil Dev and the great MSD.

3.?????He will win the World Cup for India.

. I am not making this hastily after seeing the last game. The last game just made me write what I have been meaning to for a long time.

I also reserve the right to be wrong ??