WATCH: Hardik Pandya reveals MS Dhoni's advice on handling pressure that helped him improve as a player

Star India all-rounder Hardik Pandya has made a brilliant comeback for the Indian team after serving a long spell on the sidelines due to his back issues. Pandya had opted for a break from all forms of cricket post India's exit from the T20 World Cup 2021 last year. He returned to action in the recently-concluded IPL 2022 and has been unstoppable ever since.

Hardik was phenomenal as a captain for his team Gujarat Titans (GT) as he led them to their maiden IPL title in their debut season. He also led from the front with the bat and finished as their highest run-getter while also stepping up with the ball when required. Hardik has continued his fine form for India in the ongoing T20I series against South Africa at home.

He played a crucial knock of 46 runs off 31 balls to combine with Dinesh Karthik (55) and post a brilliant stand of 65 runs for the fifth wicket in the 4th T20I against South Africa on Friday (June 17). India won the game comfortably by 82 runs after easily defending a total of 169 runs to level the series 2-2.

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Post the team's win, Hardik and Karthik sat down for a chat about their respective knocks and the game. Karthik also asked Hardik about the difference in his role for the Indian team and the Gujarat Titans in the IPL. The star all-rounder responded by stating that he always likes to play as per the situation and revealed a piece of golden advice from MS Dhoni on handling pressure during his early days in international cricket.

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“For me genuinely nothing changes because I play the situation, I play the symbol which is there on my chest. The only thing which I want to get better with time, it's about how…smoothness and how frequently I can do the same thing which I did for Gujarat Titans and for India as well," Hardik told Karthik during their chat.

“Earlier in the days, Mahi bhai taught me one thing. I asked him a very simple thing like ‘how do you get away from pressure and everything?' And he gave me a very simple advice. It was like, ‘Stop thinking about what is your score, start thinking what your team requires.' That lesson has stuck to my mind and kind of helped me become the player which I have become. Whichever situation I go in, I assess and play accordingly," he added.

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It was a brilliant all-round performance from India in the penultimate encounter in Rajkot on Friday to level the series 2-2. While Karthik and Pandya starred with the bat to help the hosts post 169 runs on the board, fast bowler Avesh Khan bowled a stunning spell to help India defend the total.

Avesh bowled an excellent spell to run through the Proteas batting line-up with a four-wicket haul. He ended up picking up the wickets of the likes of Dwaine Pretorious, Rassie van der Dussen, Marco Jansen and Keshav Maharaj to make the contest a one-sided affair. India will now aim to clinch the series 3-2 when they lock horns with South Africa in the series-decider on Sunday.