‘Blue-eyed’ Pandya has promises to keep
Hardik Pandya hasn’t taken off on this tour after his knock in the Cape Town Test last month. While talk has veered around his attitude and colour of his hair, Pandya’s biggest contribution after the first Test came in the fifth ODI at Port Elizabeth when he picked the wickets of AB de Villiers and JP Duminy to help India take a stranglehold on the match.
Vice-captain Rohit Sharma praised him saying that he could take the responsibility and bowl his full quota of overs in the absence of a sixth bowler was impressive.
Rohit’s statement is funny if the definition of an all-rounder is taken into account. Isn’t an allrounder expected to bowl his full quota of overs?
Former South Africa allrounder Shaun Pollock praised Pandya’s attitude but had a word of caution for those eager to put him in the all-rounder’s bracket.
“In T20 format, all-rounders are identified as guys who can bowl two or three overs and score 20 off 10 deliveries. I think the challenge comes when you have to repeat that performance for a long period of time. Like, bowling 20 overs or good 20 overs in a Test or batting for 100 deliveries to get a 60. Modern allrounders do make a contribution in the T20 game, and we tend to see them as good all-rounders because of their scores and wickets in a T20 game. But consistency in performing across all formats and in all conditions is the big challenge. I think the younger players don’t get exposed to that much.”
Pandya caught everyone’s fancy through his (aggressive) attitude, and Pollock feels his attitude is what makes him permanent in Virat Kohli’s side.
“I get the impression that Kohli loves his attitude. It is similar to how he plays his cricket and because he has that attitude, there’s a good chance he’ll get a real opportunity to settle himself in the team. That’s the nature of cricket.”
CENTURION: