A lengthy ailment put Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya into a largely batting role with minimal bowling in November 2021. Doubts arisen concerning his ability to resume his international career.
Fast forward to October 2023, and Hardik Pandya may be a key player in India’s World Cup campaign. He has rediscovered his bowling pace after an extensive recovery and conditioning routine and is one of his team’s most crucial middle order hitters.
India has long desired a seam bowling all-rounder, and Hardik Pandya perfectly fits the description. As Hardik Pandya celebrates his 30th birthday, we look back at his five finest knocks for India:
5. 33 vs Pakistan, 2022
India won a thrilling Asia Cup match against Pakistan in Dubai after chasing down 147. They were in trouble at 89/4, but Hardik Pandya played a calm and unbeaten knock of 33 from 17 balls. He hit four fours and a six, including three boundaries in a row against Haris Rauf in the penultimate over. He sealed the victory with a short-arm jab that went for four.
4. 92* vs Australia, 2021
Hardik Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja starred in India’s win over Australia in the last ODI of the series in December 2022. They put on an unbeaten 150-run stand for the sixth wicket, taking India to 302/5. Pandya scored 92 and Jadeja smashed 66, with both hitting seven fours and a six each.
India’s bowlers then defended the total, bowling out Australia for 289. They won the match by 13 runs and avoided a whitewash.
3. 83 vs Australia, 2017
Hardik Pandya was the hero of India’s first ODI win over Australia in Chennai. He smashed 83 runs off 66 balls, rescuing India from 87/5 to 281. He hit seven sixes and five fours, along with MS Dhoni who made 79.
He also took two crucial wickets with his knuckleballs, dismissing Smith and Head. India won by 26 runs (DLS method) after rain reduced Australia’s target to 164 in 21 overs.
2. 51 vs England, 2022
The visitors defeated the hosts by 50 runs in the first T20I of India’s 2022 tour of England at the Rose Bowl in Southampton, owing to Hardik Pandya’s superb all-round effort. Pandya was voted Player of the Match after not only making his maiden T20I half-century, but also taking four crucial wickets during England’s chase of the mark.
After winning the toss, India batted first. Pandya gave the late impetus to the innings, scoring 51 off 33 deliveries as India finished with 198 after 20 overs. He got rid of the dangerous quartet of Jason Roy, Dawid Malan, Liam Livingstone, and Sam Curran in the second inning. write a little bit, arrange it into two paragraphs
1. 108 vs Sri Lanka, 2017
Hardik Pandya delivered a stunning century – his first in Test cricket – to help India regain control of the first innings in the third Test against Sri Lanka at the Pallekele International Stadium.
Pandya’s century came in 86 balls, including seven boundaries and seven sixes. He went from fifty to a hundred in just 25 balls, including two fours and six more sixes. India finished with 487 runs, which was more than enough for Sri Lanka, who lost the match by an innings and 171 runs.