New Delhi: Hardik Pandya has not looked back since leading Gujarat Titans to the Indian Premier League (IPL) title in the very first season last year and the new Indian T20 skipper has given credit for the "big difference" in his captaincy to his IPL franchise coach and former fast bowler Ashish Nehra. The Gujarat team took the bold step of appointing Pandya as the captain in the very first year after being out for a long time due to injury. 

Pandya, who captained the Indian team only once at the senior level during a practice match against Australia, however, proved his detractors wrong and led by example. After India won the 2-1 series against Sri Lanka in the third and final T20 match, Pandya said, 'What is very important from Gujarat's point of view is what kind of coach I have got and worked with. Ashish Nehra made a big difference in my life because of our mindset. We may be two different personalities, but our views on cricket are very similar.'

Pandya further said, 'Because I was with him, my captaincy improved. Helped me to achieve exactly what I wanted. This was just about getting assurance, once I got that awareness about the game that I always knew. It has definitely helped me a lot.' Ahead of the home series against Sri Lanka, the Rohit Sharma-led side made a major change in the team after their failure to win the T20 International World Cup following their semi-final loss to England in Australia. 

Ind vs SL: Surya hits century in just 45 balls, SL's crushing defeat

Pant underwent a 3-hour surgery in a Mumbai hospital, know how his condition is now?

Ind vs SL: Series decider today, this could be team India's playing XI