Former Indian batter Sanjay Mankrekar heaped praise on Hardik Pandya after his fine knock against Bangladesh in the warm-up match before the T20 World Cup on Saturday. Pandya scored 40 runs off 23 balls with the help of two fours and four sixes to help India post 182 runs on the board.
It was a slow pitch but Pandya was able to add the finishing touches. The highlight of Pandya’s knock was a six of the backfoot against leg-spinner Rishad Hossain in the penultimate over of the innings.
Pandya could not deliver in the recently concluded IPL for Mumbai Indians and this knock must have added a shot in his arm.
“I have been repeatedly saying, even before this match, if you see Hardik Pandya’s performances in World Cups, he played the all-rounder’s role very well in the 2019 World Cup, he had a main performance in the India-Pakistan match on the big stage, and see his performance with the bat in the semi-final India lost in Adelaide, he scored 60 runs at a strike rate of 190,” Sanjay Manjrekar said on Star Sports.
“What happened in the IPL was a slight temperamental issue because he was feeling the pressure from outside. The environment might not have been good. I am not at all surprised that he will feel slightly relaxed and relieved after donning India’s and not the Mumbai Indians’ blues. He has the ability and I am repeatedly saying that he is a big-match player,” the former India batter added.
On the other hand, former Indian batting coach Sanjay Bangar added that Pandya’s record in World Cup is very good and backed the all-rounder to deliver for the national team.
“You shouldn’t see what he has done earlier when he is playing for India. You should definitely see what he has done for India. His record in World Cup cricket is exceptional. Whether he is playing Test cricket, 50-over or 20-over format for India, he has given fantastic performances in all three formats,” he said.
Bangar added that Pandya provides the right balance to the team being a seam-bowling all-rounder.
“There was a phase in the middle for sure where he got injured and because of that he couldn’t play much, but whenever he comes, the Indian team’s balance becomes much better,” Bangar stated.
Pandya also dismissed Bangladesh opener Tanzid Hasan and returned with 1-30 in the three overs he bowled.
