After his brilliant batting show in the 2nd ODI against New Zealand in the ongoing series, he has given new hope to the Indian team. He will be future all-rounder who can bowl fast and bat well. He almost won the 2nd ODI against NZ but his inexperience shot cost the match.
Hardik Pandya played a cameo role in the 2nd ODI while he took 3 wickets with ball on his debut ODI in the first ODI. He became the 10th player to grab 3 wickets in their ODI debut.
After lost the 2nd ODI against NZ, Dhoni said,“It will be harsh on him, he could have because that option is always there. You always have to target who are the bowlers you want to hit and in these kinds of situation even the last ball counts. So it is always a good exposure for a player when he is under the pump and it always teaches you a lot.”
“May be if that shot would have gone over point it could have been a boundary and everything would have been different. He is still learning and more often than not he will be alone along with tail,” he added.
Ms Dhoni always batted lower down because there was nobody in the Indian team willing to take the responsibility to finish the game whether the chasing is easy or impossible. But, after Pandya made his ODI debut, Dhoni bat at No.4 in the 3rd ODI.
Hardik Pandya said,“As batsman whatever number I bat on, we should play according to situation. And that’s a job for everyone. If Dhoni bats at No. 4, it gives confidence for someone like me who bats lower in the order. So it’s pretty good. It shows a positive intent. I’m enjoying watching his batting. There’s a lot to learn when Dhoni and Virat Kohli bat. Their batting, the running between the wickets, it’s of next level and it’s inspiring.”