‘I have been hitting sixes since childhood’

indore— He has become the cynosure of all eyes with his sixhitting prowess but Hardik Pandya says it’s not a skill he has developed overnight as he has been clearing the ropes easily since childhood.

Twice in the ongoing series against Australia, Pandya has seized the momentum for India with his big-hitting abilities.

During the first ODI in Chennai, Pandya had taken leg-spinner Adam Zampa to the cleaners while in the series-clinching ODI on Sunday, he came up with big shots against left-arm spinner Ashton Agar at a crucial juncture.

Asked if his bludgeoning 76run knock against Pakistan in the Champions Trophy final was the turning point for him, Pandya politely made a statement.

“If you want to think that way, you can, I have no problems. I played well in the IPL before that. Last year’s IPL wasn’t great for me, so I worked hard, and the form came back. “And I used to hit sixes before too, it’s just that I am hitting them at a higher level now. I have been hitting sixes since childhood otherwise,” Pandya told reporters at the post-match Press conference.

“So whatever you say, if you say Pakistan changed my game, then so be it I have no problem,” he added.

Pandya’s 78-run knock came at a time when India had lost four wickets in quick time.

Further talking about his ability to hit sixes at will, Pandya said he prefers reading the game before making shot selection.

“It’s not just about hitting. It’s pretty important that I read the game. That time (in Chennai) I thought that Zampa was bowling and I knew that I could hit a six off him anytime I wanted to. That’s why I waited till the seventh over and then I got the opportunity to change the momentum and eventually one over changed the momentum in that game,” he said.—