India’s veteran spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has hailed Hardik Pandya for his exemplary batting against spin bowling. Pandya scored a fine knock of 87 runs against Pakistan in the team’s opening match of the ongoing Asia Cup at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium on Saturday.
The Indian all-rounder joined forces with Ishan Kishan when India was tottering at 66-4 but the duo were able to build a crucial partnership. Pandya got off to a slow but steady start and he looked unperturbed by the spin duo of Shadab Khan and Mohammad Nawaz.
Pandya added a crucial alliance of 138 runs off just 141 balls with Ishan Kishan for the fifth wicket and helped India get back into the contest. But Pandya missed out on a chance to complete his maiden ODI century after he was bamboozled by a slower ball from Shaheen Shah Afridi.
“I noticed this about Hardik. While he was playing for Mumbai Indians, he was donning only the finisher role. He will come to bat during the 15th, 16th, or 17th over. But the moment he became the captain and went to Gujarat Titans, he started batting at No.3. Hardik is a very clean striker against spin,” Ashwin said in a video on his YouTube channel.
Ashwin lauded Pandya for having a complete game against the spinners and having a rich arsenal of shots.
“Not saying that he struggles against fast bowling or anything. He has the slog sweep. He has the conventional sweep as well. In fact, I remember Hardik Pandya scored his first Test hundred at the same ground in Pallekele against Sri Lanka. He played those sweep shots in that game too. Some of them will tell you he can be dismissed if you bowl leg-spin to him. But his batting against spin has been exemplary,” Ashwin added.
There is no doubt that Hardik Pandya will hold the key for India with both bat and ball in the upcoming ODI World Cup. Pandya returned with figures of 1-34 in the eight overs he bowled against Nepal in the second group stage match of the Asia Cup and looked bowling fit, which is a huge positive.
India will next face Pakistan in the Super Fours of the Asia Cup at the R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo on Sunday.
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