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Despite Hardik Pandya’s IPL 2024 struggles, Indian bowling coach Paras Mhambrey affirmed faith in his T20 World Cup potential.
Pandya’s inclusion in the T20 World Cup squad sparked debate after a lackluster IPL 2024 with Mumbai Indians. Despite Pandya’s underperformance, Mhambrey expressed unwavering confidence in his abilities.
During IPL 2024, Pandya’s form dipped significantly, managing only 216 runs and 11 wickets in 14 matches. Additionally, his stint as Mumbai Indians’ captain faced criticism, with the home crowd expressing discontent over his leadership.
Paras Mhambrey says Team India never doubted Hardik Pandya’s potential despite IPL 2024 struggles.
Despite his struggles in IPL 2024, the Indian cricket team maintained confidence in Hardik Pandya for T20 World Cup 2024.
Pandya’s resilience and determination remained unwavering despite his rough patch in IPL 2024. His dedication paid dividends in the ongoing T20 World Cup, where he showcased his prowess, claiming five wickets in two matches.
As Team India gears up for their Group A match against co-hosts USA, bowling coach Mhambrey commended Pandya’s work ethic. Despite facing challenges, Pandya relentlessly worked on improving his bowling, impressing the team management.
Mhambrey emphasized that Pandya’s commitment reassured the team management of his eventual resurgence. Indeed, Pandya’s remarkable turnaround in the ongoing T20 World Cup validates their faith in him.
Paras Mhambrey said Hardik Pandya has now caught the rhythm at ICC T20 World Cup 2024.
Paras Mhambrey said: “I think one thing I’m definitely sure about him is that he has confidence in his ability. He never doubted his ability. I knew he would not be short of confidence coming into this tournament. Sometimes you don’t get into rhythm as a bowler no matter what you do. It takes time. You’re bowling consistently, but you just can’t get into a rhythm. I think that was a phase where the rhythm didn’t come.
I think in his case, it was a factor where he was not able to maintain his rhythm. It would have been worrisome if he would not work on it, rather continue to work on his bowling. So, when we saw that his work ethic was the same as always, we knew he was going to come good. Because he has done a lot of bowling, he has a lot of understanding about his bowling. After he got into that rhythm, you can see the difference between the IPL and this tournament. So, it’s all about rhythm and I think he has now caught the rhythm.”
Discussing the playing conditions at Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, Indian bowling coach noted an improvement in pitch quality. Initially, the surfaces offered uneven bounce, but now they appear more favorable.
Despite this improvement, Mhambrey acknowledged the difficulty for batsmen to execute shots on such pitches. However, he highlighted the positive aspect for bowlers, stating that they are now receiving some assistance, which contrasts with the high-scoring matches witnessed during IPL 2024.
