‘Pandya knock the gamechanger’
Praising Hardik’s show in first ODI, Kohli says lucky to have him in the side
KOLKATA: India and Australia landed here on Monday after Virat Kohli’s team fought back to clinch the rain-hit first ODI in Chennai. There is rain threat over Thursday’s second game at Eden Gardens as well.
However, Hardik Pandya’s rapidly growing stature as allrounder is the focus for now. The man Kohli compared to England’s match-winner Ben Stokes recently, took the game by storm with a career-best 83.
His six-hitting punctured Australia spinner Adam Zampa first before his dismissal of Steve Smith (1) and in-form Travis Head (5) within six deliveries.
Kohli hailed the 23-year-old as the man who made the difference. “We lost wickets but MS (Dhoni) and Kedar (Jadhav) played well. Hardik then, and MS finished it off like he does. Today (Sunday) was an example, Sri Lanka was the example of how good the middle and lower order can be,” he said at the presentation ceremony.
IMPACT PLAYER
“Hardik believes in himself, and his innings was the gamechanger. He possesses all three skills equally and we are lucky to have him.” Pandya’s 76 in the ICC Champions Trophy final against Pakistan was in a losing cause, but his Test century in Sri Lanka and the Chennai knock, allied to his skill with the ball, have added depth to India.
With Yuzvendra Chahal, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah bowling in unision, Kohli said India’s “best T20 attack” didn’t give Aussies much chance chasing 164 in 21 overs.
Dhoni (79) guided Pandya in their 118-run partnership after the top order collapse, but like a true all-rounder, he produced the impact, hammering three sixes and a four off Zampa in the 36th over.
Pandya played down his showing. “It was a good day for me… I don’t think anything has changed. I am the same Hardik I was a year back. Maybe people’s thinking was changed. When Mahi bhai was batting with me, we knew what Zampa was going to bowl. I’m glad what I’m doing with the bat and ball.”
The Aussies sure aren’t.