Hardik Pandya explains why he doesn't like people calling MS Dhoni 'cool'

Team India's star all-rounder Hardik Pandya recently opened up on his special bond with former captain MS Dhoni. Pandya revealed Dhoni is like a brother to him who understood him right from the time when he first came into the Indian national side and supported him through thick and thin to play an important role in his rise as a cricketer.

Hardik made his India debut under Dhoni's captaincy in 2016 and went on to establish his credentials as one of the top all-rounders in the world. Hardik has been out of the Indian Test squad for a while now due to a back injury that has hampered his bowling, however, he remains a vital cog in India's white-ball teams.

Hardik said he is very close to Dhoni and admires him for being there when the all-rounder needed support from the former captain, who has helped a number of youngsters by sharing his experiences with them. Hardik insisted he never saw Dhoni as one of the great cricketers of India but as a brother who was there when he needed him.

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"He was. MS was someone who understood me from the start: how I function, what kind of a person I am, what are the things I don't like, everything," Hardik told ESPNCricinfo's CricketMonthly.

"He knows what kind of an individual I am. He knows me quite deep. I am very close to him. He is the only person who can make me calm. When all this happened (the television show controversy), he knew that I needed support. I just needed a shoulder, which he provided multiple times in my cricketing career. I never saw him as MS Dhoni the greatest. For me, Mahi is my brother. I respect and admire the fact that he was there when I needed him the most," Hardik added.

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While opening up on his conversations with Dhoni, who is one of India's most successful captains of all time and an icon of Indian cricket, Hardik said he doesn't like people calling him 'Mr cool'. Dhoni is often referred to as Captain Cool for keeping a calm demeanour even in the most pressurisingsituations on the field when leading a team.

“Staying with him, obviously, you learn to be mature, you learn to become humble. I have learned a lot by watching him. He never loses his cool," said Hardik.

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"Not cool – I don’t like the word, and people calling him Mr Cool does not suit him. For me, he is always stable. When he goes out, people are always going to him with requests for photos and xyz. I have thoroughly copied how he behaves outside. When I go out now, no matter how many people are there, there will always be a big smile on my face," he explained.