Asia Cup 2022: Hardik Pandya 2.0 is the all-rounder India always wished for

The best change in Hardik though has been the incorporation of the thought process of his guru MS Dhoni. Now, Hardik doesn't seem in a hurry to achieve anything and lets things happen naturally

With his brilliant all-round performance (3-24 with the ball and 33*(17) with the bat), Hardik Pandya managed to win a crucial India-Pakistan match in the ongoing Asia Cup 2022. His popularity soared, and the Baroda man is now seen as the leading light to end India’s 15-year drought for a T20 World Cup. 

 

This is the second coming of Pandya after being appointed the captain of the Gujarat Titans. When Pandya first arrived on the scene, he was seen as someone ready to fill the big boosts of a genuine all-rounder. But, be it the injuries or his out-of-field activities (Coffe with Karan saga), the 28-year-old remained in the limelight for all the wrong reasons. 

 

Since making his India debut way back in January 2016, till becoming the Gujarat Titans skipper, Pandya played 54 T20Is, 63 ODIs and 11 Tests, scoring a combined total of 2371 runs in 100 innings at an average of 28.56. At the same time, he took a total of 116 wickets as well, with a bowling average in the 30s. 

 

The numbers, as such, were not bad for someone who bats past the top six and hardly bowls his full quota of overs. But these numbers were not taking Hardik to the greatness he was destined for.  

 

Titans gave him new zeal and hope

 

After a dampening T20 World Cup in 2021, the first good thing for Hardik was the introduction of two new teams in the Indian Premier League and being named the captain of one of them- Gujarat Titans. From the first match onwards, Hardik looked determined to prove something, not to others, but himself. He was bowling in the powerplay and regularly batting at number four and five. 

 

A more responsible version of himself

 

As IPL 2022 progressed, Hardik got involved with the team in crunch situations. Even after not being100% fit, the captain would try to lead from the front. In 15 innings, he scored 487 runs at an average of 44.27. This is the most runs scored by Hardik in one season of the IPL. 

 

The best thing, though, was Hardik’s ability to bowl at least two overs in every game. In the final of IPL 2022 against Rajasthan Royals, his bowling changed the game on its head. He took 3-17 in four overs. 

 

Incorporating a bit of MS Dhoni

 

Hardik has been incorporating the thought process of his guru MS Dhoni. Now, the all-rounder doesn’t seem in a hurry to achieve anything and lets things happen naturally. If the team is chasing a total, he makes sure to bat till the end and allows himself to try and achieve the target until the last ball. 

 

While bowling too, he is more sure of his bouncers, probably his biggest strength, which hurries the batter and surprises him with the pace. He does not get bogged down after being hit for a six on the short ball and bowls the same ball again, making the batter commit mistakes. (Hardik vs Liam Livingstone during India’s tour of England). 

 

Hardik Pandya 2.0 is the all-rounder India always wished for

 

Since IPL 2022, Hardik has batted in 29 innings in white ball cricket and scored 901 runs at an average of 42.90. This batting average would put to shame any top-order white ball batter. During the same period, Hardik also claimed 25 wickets in just 79.3 overs, meaning he took a wicket in every third over that he bowled. His bowling average of 22.4 is phenomenal too.

 

Thus Hardik Pandya 2.0 is as great an all-rounder as India would have liked.