Asia Cup 2022: 'Reminds me of MS Dhoni', fans compare Hardik Pandya to MSD due to THIS, check video HERE

Asia Cup 2022: Fans went crazy for Hardik Pandya's MS Dhoni like 'keep calm' gesture in the India vs Pakistan clash, check video here

MS Dhoni and Hardik Pandya (Source: Twitter)

With India sending the message to the cricketing world once again that they are back to the very best as they were earlier, Hardik Pandya - the man of the match against Pakistan was praised on Twitter with tons of posts for his stellar performance on Sunday (August 28). As India have begun the Asia Cup 2022 campaign with a thumping victory over arch-rivals Pakistan, Pandya's innings reminded the fans of former India skipper MS Dhoni, who also kept his cool just like the all-rounder did on Sunday. Hardik scored a crucial 33 off 17 balls and finished off in style just like his former captain MS Dhoni. The fans suggested that India and Hardik's plan to take it till the last over had a stamp of MS Dhoni's teaching from the past.

"I try to keep it as simple as possible. That’s what I saw in Mahi Bhai (MS Dhoni). Whenever I played with him, I just observed and asked questions as well. Not only him but whosoever I played with, I tried to learn as much as possible. Even in life, if you want to make a decision and if you are calm and are able to assess the situation better, then you can decide better," Hardik Pandya told Star Sports. (From Shoaib Akhtar to Wasim Akram, here's how PAK legends reacted to Team India's win)

Talking about MS Dhoni's bond with Hardik Pandya, here's a video from 2018 when a 36-year-old MSD gave young Pandya a run for his money in a friendly sprint race between the two. (Check video HERE)

Checkout fans getting reminded of MS Dhoni by Hardik Pandya's performance reactions below...

This reminded of Dhoni pic.twitter.com/CR8t4McKfa

— Nitish Rajput (@nitishrajpute) August 28, 2022

Many many congratulation hardik pandya for finished in MS dhoni style @hardikpandya7 @MSD_Cricbuzz @BCCI @imVkohli pic.twitter.com/GjblKKaxDq — DJ16 (@SrabaniDas_2021) August 29, 2022

Thank you ms dhoni for giving us hardik pandya  —  (@firki07) August 28, 2022

Most Sixes for India in Death overs of T20Is

34 - Hardik Pandya*
34 - MS Dhoni
31 - Yuvraj Singh
27 - Virat Kohli#HardikPandya | #INDvPAK | #AsiaCup — Cricbaba (@thecricbaba) August 28, 2022

Hardik Pandya continuing the legacy of finishing matches as MS Dhoni used to do in the past #MSDhoni #HardikPandya pic.twitter.com/snXqFHXBuc — Glen  (@SquareDrive_) August 29, 2022

Hardik Pandya Carrying The Legacy Of MS Dhoni !#MSDhoni | #HardikPandya | #Dhoni pic.twitter.com/FqozfuLb0x — Bhavya Dhoni Fan (@Bhavya_MSDian) August 29, 2022

MS Dhoni and Hardik Pandya are not anchors. They are power hitters who can anchor against bowlers or in situations where they are not at ease hitting. — Alagappan Vijayakumar (@IndianMourinho) August 28, 2022

In the last over when India needed 6 runs off 3 balls, Pandya finished it off in style with a powerful six down the mid-wicket region. Before that, he gave a 'keep calm' node to non-striker Dinesh Karthik who had just walked in after Ravindra Jadeja's wicket. That moment reminded the fans of MS Dhoni when Pandya kept his cool and showed that his nerves are made of steel.

Notably, it was an emotional moment for Pandya as he recalled the 2018 Asia Cup when he was taken off the field due to an injury with a stretcher against the same opponents. After the game he posted a collage of the 2022 India vs Pakistan match and a throwback to the 2018 game when he was being taken off the field. He also gave credit to the great MS Dhoni and expressed how he has helped him to learn the art of keeping calm in order to make better decisions.