The warm-ups done, Hardik Pandya walked into one of the two nets at the Narendra Modi Stadium. Whatever was thrown to him by the spinners and quicks during India’s training session on Friday, Hardik hoicked almost all of them, having no half-measures.
One can only gauge what his approach is going to be in India’s opening Super Eight clash against South Africa on Sunday. Regardless of the position he bats, Hardik’s job in the middle order will remain the same — counterpunching the rival bowling attack with his big-hitting ability.
So far, batting-wise, the T20 World Cup campaign hasn’t really been outstanding for Hardik. However, the 28-ball 52 he scored on a New Delhi wicket where the ball kept low at times and also gripped a little on that surface, certainly reflected his ability to adapt to the conditions and churn out his A-game.
Since his return from the injury sustained during last year’s Asia Cup, Hardik does come across sharper as a batter. “His much-improved fitness and strong emphasis on the basics have been the driving force behind the kind of batting seen from him lately,” Jitendrasingh Pandya, who has been training Hardik since 2009, said from Baroda.
“When it comes to stance and back-lift, he makes those subtle adjustments depending on the bowlers he’s facing and the overall conditions. Bowling-wise, being a leg-spinner in his early days, he shifted to fast bowling when he was around 17-18. Since then, he has put in a constant effort to excel on that aspect, and now, he’s quite capable of moving the ball both ways.”
Hardik’s innings in New Delhi was an instance of the Indian batters’ adaptability according to the pitches on offer so far in this World Cup. “In the first game (against USA in Mumbai), it was maybe a 170-surface, and we went a little bit too hard at the start. But again, that was a learning,” bowling coach Morne Morkel said.
Pakistan have been the only full-member opposition India faced so far in the competition. Hardik suffered a first-ball dismissal in that game. However, considering how he has worked on his batting over the last couple of years, Hardik, does have an opportunity to light up the Motera
on Sunday.
Sources in the Gujarat Cricket Association say the pitch here may offer a decent amount of help for the spinners, which could make strokeplay difficult. But Hardik’s knowledge of the Motera conditions are quite sound as he has also represented Gujarat Titans in the IPL, being their captain.
Also, when India had played the Proteas the last time here two months ago, he had hammered a 25-ball 63 at No. 5 in India’s 30-run victory.
“Hardik knows his game really well and what he brings to the table with his batting and bowling as well as his passion certainly makes him India’s X-factor,” former South Africa limited-overs specialist Justin Kemp, who also used to be a seamer all-rounder like Hardik, said from Cape Town.
“I was speaking to Gary Kirsten the other day. We were discussing about just how he keeps himself in an unbelievable condition. Good players keep getting better and better, and what’s amazing is Hardik can make the team both as a specialist batter and specialist bowler,” Kemp, currently Namibia’s assistant coach, said.
The job for Hardik, or the other Indian batters, won’t be too easy against the Proteas bowling attack. But if the visitors falter in their lines, there won’t be any mercy.
