Hardiks 92 off 76 balls sets the tone for Indias victory; Australia take series 2-1
Indiau00c3u00a2u00c2u0080u00c2u0099s Hardik Pandya in full flight during the third ODI against Australia at Manuka Oval, Canberra yesterday. Pic/Getty Images
In the 46th over, Hardik Pandya backed away and carved Sean Abbot over point for a six. It is rare for Pandya to expose all three stumps in an attempt to hit the ball through the off-side. He has always preferred to muscle the ball towards the leg-side or down the ground. But in this series, Australia have blocked his strong zones, forcing him to hit the ball in unchartered territory. It is a task that Pandya has been able to achieve by evolving as a batsman.
If anything, Pandya has proved he is more than just a power-hitter who thrills crowds with fours and sixes. He has shown he can graft, he can occupy the crease, he can work the ball into gaps with deft touches and bash the ball into zones that are unfamiliar to him.
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Crucial stand with Jadeja
On Wednesday, Pandya remained unbeaten on 92 off 76 balls to propel India to a match-winning total of 302. He only hit eight boundaries, but still scored at a strike-rate of 121. There were opportunities for him to tee off against Adam Zampa or Ashton Agar, but he resisted his natural instincts. Pandya knew his priority was to bat beyond the 45th over and build a substantial partnership (150 runs) with Ravindra Jadeja (66 not out off 50 balls). He achieved both tasks and in the process showcased his cricketing smartness and progression as a batsman.
Also Read: IND vs AUS: Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja power India to 13-run win, avoid whitewash
Natarajan, Thakur impress
Pandya wasn't the only player to make the most of his opportunity. T Natarajan on debut came back strongly after being clobbered for 18 off one over. Then there is Shardul Thakur, a player that just wants to compete and loves a tussle. Thakur's best balls don't find the edges, but he still has the uncanny knack of taking wickets. He finished with figures of 10-1-51-3, but importantly, he provided India that extra fighting spirit that visitors lacked with the ball during the first two matches.
India will be delighted with the 13-run win given they had been thoroughly outplayed in the first two matches. Overall, there will be disappointment over KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer. The 1-2 loss is a fair indicator of the way the series panned out for India.
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