India’s character and personality to be put to test in Asia Cup 2023 – Hardik Pandya 

India’s vice-captain, Hardik Pandya, holds the belief that the forthcoming Asia Cup will unveil the true essence of the Indian team. He thinks the tournament will test their personality and character. Their first match is against arch-rival Pakistan on September 2.

India has done really well in the Asia Cup before. They’ve won it seven times, which is more than anyone else. The first time was in 1984 in the United Arab Emirates. They’ve won both the One Day International (ODI) and Twenty20 International (T20I) formats. They won the last time in 2018 with Rohit Sharma as the captain.

The match against Pakistan is what everyone is looking forward to. It’s a big rivalry and means a lot to the players and the fans. Pandya spoke with Star Sports and emphasized that the team’s sole focus is on playing top-notch cricket against the formidable Pakistani side.

Pandya knows they can’t get too emotional about the match. He believes they need to stay calm to make good decisions. He’s excited about the tournament, though. He describes it as a major event that will demonstrate what they’re made of and how they would handle pressure. He can’t wait for it to start.

“Fans have a lot of emotions tied to them. For us, it’s about playing a good team in a match against a very good squad that has done very well recently. They’ve played a couple of finals, and the tension between us is always present. So, for me, we try to keep the outside noise at bay and concentrate on how to play good cricket. We are, at the end of the day, cricketers. We can’t get too worked up about it because it would lead to dangerous judgments, which I don’t believe in. But, at the same time, it’s a huge occasion. It’s an event where I’ve seen how it tests your character and personality. So, for me, all of these aspects are quite exciting, and I can’t wait,” he concluded.