Former Indian batter Navjot Singh Sidhu praised Hardik Pandya’s knock in the warm-up match, saying it silenced his critics.
India’s vice-captain Hardik Pandya silenced doubts about his form with a crucial knock in the team’s T20 World Cup warm-up match against Bangladesh. Pandya’s unbeaten 40 runs off just 23 balls (4 sixes, 2 fours) helped India reach a competitive total of 182/5.
Coming into the World Cup, Pandya’s recent form in the IPL had been a topic of discussion. His below-par performance and the decision to replace Rohit Sharma as the captain of Mumbai Indians had drawn criticism.
However, his knock against Bangladesh has silenced his critics, according to former Indian batter Navjot Singh Sidhu. “The question marks over Hardik Pandya have been erased. He shines under pressure, just like a diamond after being continuously rubbed,” Sidhu said on Star Sports.
Pandya’s struggles began after returning to the Mumbai Indians for the 2024 IPL season. He faced constant booing from fans, including his own team’s supporters.
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Since his debut in 2016, Pandya has been a valuable all-rounder for India across formats. However, a back injury in 2018 and subsequent surgery hampered his performance. In the 2021 T20 World Cup, he could only play as a batter due to fitness concerns, and India failed to reach the semi-finals.
With 73 wickets and 1348 runs in 92 T20 Internationals, Pandya remains a key player for India. The team will begin their World Cup campaign against Ireland on Wednesday before facing arch-rivals Pakistan at the same venue on June 9th.
Last Updated on June 4, 2024