Hardik Pandya earned the title of 'new finisher' after some excellent knocks both in the IPL and also in the ODIs. People also started looking at him as the fast-bowling all-rounder that Indian have been looking for quite sometime
Hardik Pandya during the fourth ODI v WI on Sunday. PIC/AP, PTI
Hardik Pandya earned the title of "new finisher" after some excellent knocks both in the IPL and also in the ODIs. People also started looking at him as the fast-bowling all-rounder that Indian have been looking for quite sometime.
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India skipper Virat Kohli has time and again spelt it out how Pandya provides a perfect balance to the line-up and the team can pick the extra batsman or bowler according to the prevailing conditions.
But Pandya found himself in two crucial run chase in the last few days -- Champions Trophy final versus Pakistan and fourth ODI against West Indies in Antigua -- and on both the occasions he failed to take the team over the line.
Undeterred by the recent setbacks, the Baroda all-rounder stressed that he is always eager to do the job for the team in whatever role he's asked to perform. Talking to cricbuzz.com about the fourth ODI where India lost crucial wickets towards the end and fell 11 short of the target, Pandya said: "The conversation (with MS Dhoni) was simple. The power which we both have, we can chase any total -- it's just that we got to stay there. You can't win a game sitting outside, it's very important that you take the game deep and make sure that you read the situation.
"We were doing pretty fine but as I said, it was unfortunate that I shuffled a lot and I got out. Things were going pretty right. When I got out we needed 31 runs off 29 balls, which on any given day we'll take it. It was just one of those games where it didn't click, it was an aberration."
Pandya also reckoned that he has expanded his bowling skills and is a viable option for his team when he has the ball in his hand.
"(I'm) pretty happy with the way things are going for me. I've been working hard on both the bowling and the batting. I'm trying to keep it simple and things are turning (out) pretty well," Pandya said.
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