India all-rounder Hardik Pandya made the most of his abilities since his return to cricket through IPL where he led the Gujarat Titans to a win in their maiden season. Now, he is firing on all cylinders. Moreover, he is also being talked as the future Indian captain as Team India undergoes a possible restructuring post-2022 T20 World Cup. The amount of growth Pandya had was clearly visible when he played the perfect second fiddle to Virat Kohli as India beat Pakistan at the MCG.
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This floored former India cricketer Krishnamachari Srikanth and perhaps gave Pandya the complement of his life. “I should not do comparisons. I do not compare eras. When I see you play, the way you bowl, bat and field; it reminds me of Kapil Dev during our days. The impact you can create is somewhat what Kapil used to create.”
To which, a smiling Pandya just said: “He is the greatest!”
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Pandya smashed 40 and alongside Kohli shared a hundred-plus stand to push Pakistan out of the match. After the game ended, the Baroda all-rounder became emotional and remembered his father on the occasion.
“I was only thinking about my dad. I have not cried about my dad. I love my son, but I don’t know if I’ll be able to do for him what my dad did for me. He moved cities for a six-and-a-half-year old boy’s dreams without knowing I’d get to where I am today. So, this is for him,” said Hardik on Star Sports.
“I will be grateful forever. If he hadn’t given me a chance, I won’t be standing here. He made a big sacrifice, he shifted to a different city for his kids. We were six at that time, and he shifted an entire city and his entire business. It was a big thing.”
Will Pandya Feature Against the Netherlands?
Although, reports have confirmed that he didn’t practice in the optional training sessions, bowling coach Paras Mhambrey refuted any claims of the Baroda all-rounder not featuring at all.
“Yeah he is fit to play. Hardik wants to play all the games. That is important. And we are not looking at whom to rest, there is no such thought about any particular player. Hardik is a very important player for us. He adds a lot of balance: he is both bowling and batting. Other than that, his attitude on the field is important,” Mhambrey said in the pre-match press conference.
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