Pandya deflects Vaughan’s barbs
All-rounder feels Indian players don’t have anything to prove to anyone
India’s Twenty20 captain Hardik Pandya yesterday dismissed Michael Vaughan’s criticism of his side, saying they have nothing to prove on their New Zealand tour despite a disappointing World Cup campaign.
Pandya will captain India for the first of three T20s starting in Wellington tomorrow with Shikhar Dhawan then taking over the captaincy for the three One Day Internationals that follow.
India were dumped out of the T20 World Cup in the semi-finals last Thursday by eventual winners England, whose former captain Vaughan accused the Indian team of regularly failing to convert their considerable talent into titles.
“India are the most underperforming white-ball team in history,” Vaughan wrote in his column for the Telegraph.
India last won the ODI World Cup as hosts back in 2011, but Pandya dismissed Vaughan’s comments.
“When you don’t do well, people will have their opinion, which we respect, but at [the] international level, we don’t have anything to prove to anyone,” Pandya told reporters in Wellington.
The all-rounder and his vice-captain Rishabh Pant are the new Indian stars tipped to take over from regular skipper Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, both rested for the New Zealand tour.
India’s head coach Rahul Dravid is also taking a break with VVS Laxman in charge.
Pandya has asked his teammates to make the most of the series against New Zealand to cement their position in the side with two World Cups looming in the next two years.