(Credit- Associated Press)
Hardik Pandya reentered the realm of competitive cricket in February-March of this year following a lengthy hiatus due to an ankle injury sustained during the 2023 ODI World Cup. Leading the Mumbai Indians in the IPL 2024 season, Pandya’s return lacked the luster both he and the franchise hoped for. MI’s playoff aspirations evaporated early as they secured the bottom position in the standings, a first for the team. Pandya’s performance with bat and ball failed to make a notable mark, and his captaincy decisions drew scrutiny from observers.
Pandya is set to make his comeback on the field at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, scheduled to commence later this week. Additionally, he holds the position of India’s vice-captain for the tournament, a responsibility noted by Harbhajan Singh, who anticipates a transformed Pandya showcasing his prowess at this prestigious event.
“When he wears that blue jersey, he will be a different Hardik Pandya because we know he can score those runs and take those wickets. I want Hardik to come good as he has gone through a lot and I wish him all the very best to have a very good tournament for India,” Harbhajan told PTI.
“If he has a good tournament, obviously India will have a great chance to go forward,” he added.
Pandya accumulated 216 runs with a strike-rate of 143.04 and clinched 11 wickets, maintaining an economy rate of 10.75 during the IPL. However, Harbhajan underscores the belief that a player’s performance in the IPL doesn’t necessarily forecast their future endeavors.
“No matter what you have done in your IPL career or previously, this is what counts the most…if I was in their shoes, I would be looking for this opportunity to showcase that I have been better than what I have been doing,” the spin legend said.
India’s inaugural match in the T20 World Cup is scheduled against Ireland on June 5th, marking the commencement of their campaign. Harbhajan highlights that the primary apprehension for the team revolves around their pace bowling department.
“Pace attack definitely could be a concern because because (Jasprit) Bumrah is in a different league for the kind of bowler he is. He will win you games on any kind of pitch. He doesn’t need conditions whereas other bowlers like Arshdeep (Singh) and (Mohammed) Siraj would need help from conditions,” Harbhajan said.
“If there’s bounce, Siraj might do well. He is tall, can also swing it both ways, hits the deck hard and has got pace. But if wickets are slow then the challenge begins for other bowlers. There will be lot of responsibility on Bumrah’s shoulders but I hope other guys also take responsibility to be someone special,” he added.
