IPL 2023 playoffs: What does it take to hate MS Dhoni? Hardik Pandya reveals (WATCH)

The 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL) enters the playoff stage, with defending champion Gujarat Titans (GT) up against four-time former champion Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in Qualifier 1 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Tuesday. As leaders Hardik Pandya and MS Dhoni will collide for the fifth time in the tournament to date, the former has explained the enormous support the latter gets and what would it take for someone to develop hatred against the legend.

In a video posted by GT on its social media handles, Pandya is seen saying, "I'll always be a Mahendra Singh Dhoni fan and for so many fans out there and so many cricket lovers. You need to be a proper devil to hate Mahendra Singh Dhoni." He also revealed that he has learnt a lot from Dhoni by just watching him play.

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"A lot of people think Mahi is serious and all that. For me, I crack jokes and I don't see him as a Mahendra Singh Dhoni. I've learnt a lot of things from him, a lot of positive things, which I've learnt from him just while watching, not even much talking," added Pandya.

Dhoni's legacy has led to fans flocking to every venue in numbers and making their voices heard for him, leading to massive support for CSK even during away games. While Pandya concluded by saying, "For me, he's just my dear friend, dear brother, who I do pranks, who I chill," GT's social media message to the legendary captain read, "Captain. Leader. Legend.@msdhoni is an emotion."