Can Hardik Pandya be as successful as Rohit Sharma and MS Dhoni as IPL captain? We asked Google AI

Gujarat Titans (GT) skipper Hardik Pandya has been highly impressive as a leader in the Indian Premier League (IPL). He did not have much captaincy experience when he was appointed skipper of the newly-formed Gujarat franchise last season.

Many cricket pundits questioned the rationale behind the decision to appoint Hardik as GT skipper. However, the all-rounder gave a fitting reply to critics by leading Gujarat Titans to a famous win in their debut year in the IPL.

This season as well, the 29-year-old has impressed as a leader, with GT reaching their second IPL final in as many years. While it might sound premature, Hardik has begun drawing comparisons with Rohit Sharma (Mumbai Indians) and MS Dhoni (Chennai Super Kings) – the two most successful captains in the IPL.

Taking that as a premise, we asked Google AI (Bard) if Hardik be as successful as Rohit and Dhoni as an IPL captain. This is what it had to say:

“Hardik Pandya has had a successful start to his captaincy career in the Indian Premier League (IPL). He led Gujarat Titans to the title in their debut season in 2022, and they are currently sitting in second place in the points table in 2023. Pandya is a strong leader and has a good understanding of the game. He is also a very good all-rounder, which gives him a lot of flexibility as a captain.

Admitting that it is too early to say whether Hardik will be as successful as Rohit and Dhoni as an IPL captain, it asserted:

“However, he has all the potential to be a great leader. He is still young and has a lot of learning to do, but he has shown that he has what it takes to be a successful captain."

Google AI also listed some reasons why Hardik can be as successful as Rohit and Dhoni as an IPL captain. It explained:

“He is a strong leader. Pandya has shown that he is a natural leader. He is confident and decisive, and he is able to motivate his players.

“He has a good understanding of the game. Pandya is a very good cricketer, and he has a deep understanding of the game. This will help him to make good decisions as a captain.

“He is a very good all-rounder. Pandya is a very good batsman and bowler, which gives him a lot of flexibility as a captain. He can use himself in a variety of ways to help his team win.”

Concluding its thoughts on the Hardik-Rohit-Dhoni comparison, Bard stated:

“Of course, there are no guarantees in cricket. Pandya will need to continue to work hard and learn from his mistakes if he wants to be as successful as Rohit and Dhoni. However, he has all the potential to be a great leader.”

Hardik and Dhoni will be up against each other in the IPL 2023 final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Monday, May 29.

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Can Hardik go on to emulate Rohit and Dhoni?

In terms of winning titles, Rohit is the most successful IPL captain. He has led MI to five triumphs - 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019 and 2020.

Dhoni is second on the list. He has led CSK to four wins - 2010, 2011, 2018 and 2021.

Whether Hardik would go on to match or surpass the feats of Rohit and Dhoni, only time will tell.