While all the post-match coverage focused on Dinesh Karthik, there was one man whose name has largely disappeared, though he usually remains in the limelight most of the time. Thanks to his flamboyant personality, Hardik Pandya is someone you just cannot ignore. But not on Friday, as the kind of innings Dinesh Karthik played overshadowed him. However, fans know that it was Pandya who played himself and gave DK space to maneuver. He scored 46 off 31 balls and was able to connect the ball while most of his teammates struggled.
Speaking about Pandya, former India Bowler Zaheer Khan, who had seen him closely at Mumbai Indians, said number four should be Pandya’s ‘ideal position to bat’.
“He would ideally like to be number four. He understands what the team needs and how he should mold his game. If you lose wickets early at number five, that’s where he moves on. After this IPL It’s clear from the beginning that he is enjoying this kind of challenge. He doesn’t seem to be in a hurry. So that’s the beauty of his batting at the moment. And that’s the part I’m enjoying. A batsman As in, if you think ‘I am in control and I can change gears whenever I need to’, that’s when you get that confidence,” Zaheer told Cricbuzz.
He said Pandya’s ability to bat down the order and then bowl with the new ball gives India the right balance, which would make Rahul Dravid very happy.
“When you lose early wickets as a team, you need that kind of flair. Someone who is confident of their ability but also absorbs pressure which means slowing down. So, if he can maintain this form and bowl, that’s the best thing to do to keep the balance of the team. So. Rahul Dravid will be very happy and the Indian team management will be very happy.
“When he (Pandya) is in this kind of form, it becomes very easy to achieve the balance he wants to achieve.”
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