December 23, 2024
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Hardik Pandya

T20 World Cup: 'Sometimes you don't get...': Bowling coach Paras Mhambrey praises Hardik Pandya's ability ahead of USA vs India | Cricket News

T20 World Cup: ‘Sometimes you don’t get…’: Bowling coach Paras Mhambrey praises Hardik Pandya’s ability ahead of USA vs India | Cricket News

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NEW DELHI: The Indian team management, including bowling coach Paras Mhambrey, expressed confidence in Hardik Pandya‘s ability to deliver for the team in the T20 World Cup, despite his underwhelming performance in the recently concluded Indian Premier League (IPL) season. Pandya has been a vital contributor to the Indian bowling attack, claiming five wickets at an economy rate of 6.37 in the first two matches of the tournament. ALSO SEE: T20 WORLD CUP 2024 Schedule | Points Table While his batting performance has yet to make a significant impact, Mhambrey emphasized that the team was not concerned about Pandya’s form.Mhambrey stated that Pandya’s confidence in his abilities was never in doubt, and the team was aware that he would eventually regain his form. “Hardik’s confidence in his ability was never in doubt. Sometimes you don’t get into the rhythm, no matter what you do. You’re bowling consistently, but you just cannot get into a rhythm. His work ethic was the same. We knew he was going to come good,” Mhambrey said in the pre-match press conference. The team management expects him to continue making a significant impact as the tournament progresses, with the next match against the co-hosts, USA, scheduled for Wednesday in New York.During the IPL, Pandya led the Mumbai Indians franchise for the first time in his career. In 14 matches, he conceded 387 runs and took 11 wickets. Despite facing criticism from fans early in the tournament, Mhambrey highlighted that if Pandya’s work ethic had been a concern, he would not have been able to perform well in the T20 World Cup.“If it was worrisome, he would not have done anything in that phase. If he did not work on that, then it was a little worrisome. But one thing was, for sure, I knew that I also followed that, that his work ethic was going on the same as before. So, if that is going on with him then after one or two matches, the rhythm of the bowler comes. After he got into that rhythm, you can see the difference between the IPL and this tournament,” he added.Pandya’s contribution was crucial in India’s victory over Pakistan, where he claimed the important wickets of Fakhar Zaman and Shadab Khan.(Inputs from ANI)

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T20 World Cup: India wait on Shivam Dube to deliver on big stage | Cricket News

T20 World Cup: India wait on Shivam Dube to deliver on big stage | Cricket News

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Big-hitter has struggled to get going so farNEW YORK: There aren’t too many areas that may concern India as they go into their game against the United States, the form of Shivam Dube being an exception. T20 WORLD CUP: SCHEDULE | POINTS TABLEBut then, the pitch at the Nassau County Ground hasn’t been batter-friendly and the big Chennai Super Kings basher hasn’t exactly been brought into this World Cup to play sheet anchor.But what should be a real worry for the team management was the sitter that Dube dropped off Mohammed Rizwan on Sunday at fine-leg, a spill that came close to taking the game away from India.It smacked of self-doubt. Is there a lack of confidence that is hurting the 30-year-old, who has struck a bit of a lean patch since his name was announced for the T20 World Cup? He struggled in the back-end of the IPL and now with the World Cup moving into higher gear, the man with long levers has to step up.What exactly is prompting captain Rohit Sharma to persist with the Mumbai cricketer? From the few interactions that he had with the media in New York, it seems quite evident that the skipper, after the disappointment of the ODI World Cup final, has come here with some set plans.Prime on his agenda is “flexibility in the batting lineup”, whereby no one else other than Virat Kohli and Rohit himself, has a fixed slot. “I have told them that it will be a case of horses for courses. Barring the opening slot, anyone can come anywhere,” Rohit said.He walked the talk in the Pakistan game, when Axar Patel was sent ahead of Dube, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja. The move did pay dividends, to an extent.The two players who can replace Dube in the XI – Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sanju Samson – are primarily top three batters and Rohit, probably, is a little reluctant to curtail his flexibility.The second important factor, which Rohit prefers to keep a secret, is his plan for the West Indies, where India will play from the Super-8s. As per the skipper’s calculations, the spinners will call the shots in some of the Caribbean venues and that’s where a batter like Dube might be the most dangerous.His monstrous hitting against slower bowlers was one of the talking points of the first phase of the IPL and Rohit, one feels, is trying his best to build Dube’s confidence.In India’s nets sessions at Cantiague Park, another important aspect is the amount of bowling that Dube has done. Owing to the ‘impact sub’ rule, he didn’t get too many chances to bowl his medium-pace in the IPL, but the team management wants to keep him ready as a back-up option for Hardik.“Four allrounders (Hardik, Axar and Jadeja being the three others) allows the team to have a lot of flexibility. I have a lot more options to choose from, which is very important in today’s T20 cricket,” Rohit had said.It’s this template that the skipper has set in his desperation for the elusive ICC silverware that is helping Dube’s cause for the time being.One feels he will get a little more time – specifically the games against USA and Canada – to hit some form so that India can stick to the plans and push for ultimate glory.

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There is a lot of experience, lot of honesty within our bowling core group: Hardik Pandya

There is a lot of experience, lot of honesty within our bowling core group: Hardik Pandya

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Indian cricket team player Hardik Pandya during a training session for the T20 World Cup in New York. File | Photo Credit: PTI Star India all-rounder Hardik Pandya has reposed a lot of hope on the Jasprit Bumrah-led bowing unit to deliver for the team in the T20 World Cup here thanks to their experience, intensity and honesty within the core group. India on Wednesday started their campaign with an eight-wicket victory over Ireland on a drop-in pitch that offered variable bounce and extra seam movement. “We were told today that within the group we have 892 T20 games, that’s a lot of games. “So we have a lot of experience, especially in bowling where we have someone like Jasprit Bumrah, who is the number one bowler by far. We have (Mohammed) Siraj, who has been tremendous in recent years,” Hardik said during a chat with the BCCI.TV. “We have Arshdeep, who has played the last two World Cups and has been quite fantastic and making sure that he keeps getting better. “There is a lot of experience, lot of honesty within the bowling core group, and the wicket has also helped a lot today (Wednesday),” he added. The seam-bowling all-rounder said the team was very pleased to start the tournament on a positive note. “We are very happy and very pleased to the kind of start on a good note. It’s very, very important for the rhythm because once the tournament has started, it goes on,” Hardik said. “It feels very good when you work hard and kind of get some success, and at the same point of time, it’s quite exciting to play here (in America).” After the match, the team’s batting coach Vikram Rathour said Hardik was ready to bowl four overs in a match, and the 30-year-old all-rounder, who was dogged by chronic injuries in the not-too-distant past, said he was focussed on the job at hand. “Everything falls into place for people who work hard. And go and spend a lot of time within yourself, identify who you are, back yourself because you know, Hardik at 30 is a much easier job at Hardik at 60,” he said. “From those days, these days are much, much better, try to find out what exactly are you are trying to figure it out in your skill sets especially. That’s why I just went, bowled a lot of overs, batted a lot of balls, so in that scenario you realise your potential slowly, and that was my focus,” Hardik said. He was looking forward to India’s big-ticket game against Pakistan on Sunday. “India-Pakistan has always been very exciting, lot of cheer and buzz, a lot of emotion and a lot of excitement but at the same time, I hope we will be disciplined in that game, one goal as a group is we go and kind of hunt. “So, if we can do that, I think it will be a one more nice day for us,” Hardik said.

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T20 World Cup: Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya star in India's easy win over Bangladesh in warm-up game | Cricket News

T20 World Cup: Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya star in India’s easy win over Bangladesh in warm-up game | Cricket News

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NEW DELHI: Rishabh Pant and all-round Hardik Pandya hogged the spotlight as India brushed aside Bangladesh in the T20 World Cup warm-up match in New York on Saturday. In the comfortable 60-run win, India had several positive aspects, with Pant’s fifty being the most significant. Pant’s impressive performance (53 off 32 balls, including 4 fours and 4 sixes) and Hardik’s valuable contribution with both bat and ball (40 not out off 23 balls, with 2 fours and 4 sixes) propelled India to a solid 182 for five after choosing to bat first.Defending the total proved to be a straightforward task as left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh-led India restricted Bangladesh to 122 for nine. Despite a brief resistance from Mahmudullah Riyaz (40 retired out; 28b, 4×4, 1×6) and Shakib Al Hasan (28), who added 75 runs for the sixth wicket, Bangladesh could only manage to reduce the margin of defeat after being reduced to 41 for five.As It HappenedArshdeep, who had a subpar IPL season with Punjab Kings, struck twice within the Powerplay, dismissing Soumya Sarkar and Litton Das. Mohammed Siraj added to Bangladesh’s woes by removing skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto (0), leaving them reeling at 10 for three in 3.5 overs. The Indian bowlers showcased their skills in exploiting the slow pitch and sluggish outfield, with pacer Shivam Dube also contributing two wickets (2/11).Bangladesh’s lackluster batting performance highlighted the significance of Pant and Hardik’s innings. Pant’s knock has likely secured his position as the first-choice wicketkeeper-batter for India in the World Cup, giving him an edge over Sanju Samson.Samson, who opened the innings with skipper Rohit Sharma (23, 19b, 2×4, 1×6) in place of Virat Kohli, struggled to adapt to the pitch conditions and was dismissed for a 6-ball 1 by left-arm pacer Shoriful Islam.Suryakumar Yadav (31, 18b, 4×4) and Pandya (40) also made valuable contributions to India’s competitive total. Pant’s exceptional touch, which he displayed during the IPL 2024 for Delhi Capitals, continued in this match as he played his characteristic shots and brought up his fifty in just 32 balls. Hardik, who was dropped on 26, provided the necessary acceleration by smashing three consecutive sixes off left-arm spinner Tanvir Islam, showcasing his power and execution. His innings and confidence might have immensely pleased the team management and himself after a modest outing as Mumbai Indians’ captain in a season where he was subjected to intense professional and personal scrutiny.Bangladesh also suffered an injury scare as Shoriful walked off just before bowling the final ball of the innings, as Tanzim Hasan completed the over. (With inputs from PTI)

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'Selectors have trusted Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli but...': Sanjay Manjrekar says he 'would not have gone that way' this time | Cricket News

‘Selectors have trusted Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli but…’: Sanjay Manjrekar says he ‘would not have gone that way’ this time | Cricket News

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NEW DELHI: Former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar suggests that opting for a younger Indian squad for the T20 World Cup might have been more advantageous, considering the previous lack of success with senior players.He advocates for injecting youthful talent like Yashaswi Jaiswal into the mix, rather than solely relying on experienced players.Despite the absence of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli from many T20 matches last year, selectors have chosen to reinstate them, presumably banking on their experience.Manjrekar notes that the default opening pair now appears to be Rohit and Kohli, whereas he would have preferred exploring alternatives, such as incorporating the promising Jaiswal.“Ideally, I would not have gone that way; I would have stuck with a slightly more younger kind of, core set of players but the selectors have committed themselves to the icons, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli,” Manjrekar said on Star Sports’ Press Room World Cup edition on Friday.“Now that they are in the squad, it’s impossible to have Virat Kohli batting at No. 3 because then you don’t get the full rally of Virat. Rohit Sharma has to open, so now, India in a way have forced themselves to have only one kind of combination – two right-handers,” he said.Manjrekar doubts that Yashaswi Jaiswal would secure a spot in the Indian XI.“Unfortunately, Jaiswal will have to sit out. I would have gone completely with a new lot (and) then he would have had a lot more flair and it would be something different,” he said.“(But) India have trusted the seniors a move that hasn’t worked over the years let’s hope it works this time,” Manjrekar added.The former Indian batter also rejected the idea that Mohammed Amir and Shaheen Shah Afridi would present a significant threat to the Indian batters in the upcoming clash between the two arch-rivals on June 9th.“Mohammed Amir played his last international T20 seven years back. We have no idea what his form is like today. Shaheen Afridi is not the same bowler that he was two years ago.“India have handled him really well, if you remember the Asia Cup, even in the 50-overs World Cup we had a one-sided match. I do not see Pakistan as a major threat to India, plus the names (of) Mohammed Amir and Shaheen Shah Afridi. I do not think this is a problem for India,” he added.Meanwhile, Irfan Pathan labeled left-arm spinner Imad Wasim as a potential threat.“As a left-arm spinner with the new ball, he is not bad. He is a smart, bowls stumps to stumps and if the ball grips then he could be a threat,” he said.Manjrekar expressed confidence in Hardik Pandya‘s ability to excel as a finisher.“My vote will always go to Hardik Pandya. I know he had a pretty quiet IPL, but go back to the last T20 World Cup that India played, the last match, semis against England at Adelaide.“Hardik Pandya got 60 off 30 balls at a strike rate of 190 after India had got 62 in their first 10 overs.“When it comes to T20 World Cup – marquee events – back those guys who actually excel on the big stage and for me it will always be Hardik Pandya and Rishabh Pant ahead of people like Shivam Dubey, until we see him on the big stage,” he said.Pathan mentioned that both Pandya and Dube would fulfill distinct roles in the competition.“Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube will play different roles. Hardik will have a set role to finish the game and Shivam will play as a floater, as a reinforcer against the spinners,” he said.Manjrekar highlighted India’s cautious approach in the first round of the tournament, drawing parallels to their early exit in the 2007 50-overs World Cup in the Caribbean.“India will feel the pressure of the first round because (in) 2007 (in) the West Indies, funny things (had) happened. I see India up and running very quickly. (But) I’m just going to watch this Indian team in the matches that matter – semis and the finals,” he said.“For India, World Cups are not anymore about getting into the final round. It’s about what you do in the final rounds,” he added.Manjrekar also asserted that Kohli tends to face extra pressure in knockout games because of his stature, a situation not mirrored by Rohit.“Virat does take it upon himself. You see that happening in all the big games to bat a little longer, perhaps feels obliged because of the kind of stature that he has in Indian cricket to bat longer rather than just come and bat freely,” he said.“But Rohit Sharma will do that, no matter his stature. We saw that in the ODI World Cup. But I’m worried about Virat really when it comes to semis and the finals,” he added.(With PTI inputs)

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Hardik Pandya's injury scare touched upon as 2007 T20 World Cup winner sets all-rounder's bowling workload

Hardik Pandya’s injury scare touched upon as 2007 T20 World Cup winner sets all-rounder’s bowling workload

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Hardik Pandya is among the Indian players in New York gearing up for the start of the 2024 T20 World Cup and there are possibly more eyes on him and how he performs than any of his teammates. Pandya, who captained India in T20Is for much of 2023, had a horrific 2024 season in the Indian Premier League (IPL), which was also his first season as captain of the Mumbai Indians. Hardik Pandya bowled sparingly for much of the first half of the IPL(AFP) A host of off-field issues resulting from his replacing Rohit Sharma as captain of MI in his first season back with the franchises led to the fans at the Wankhede Stadium, and almost every other stadium in the country, turning on him. This seemed to affect his own and the team’s performance as well, with the five-time champions finishing bottom of the table with just four wins in 14 matches. Pandya picked 11 wickets in 14 matches but also had an economy of 10.75. He scored just 216 runs in 14 matches at a strike rate of 143.05 and average of 18.00. Unlock exclusive access to the latest news on India’s general elections, only on the HT App. Download Now! Download Now! The all-rounder was picked in the Indian team for the 2024 T20 World Cup despite this form and former fast bowler RP Singh has said that Pandya will have to bowl his full quota of four overs in the tournament. “Hardik bowled in the IPL and bowled four overs so there’s no injury scare. Hardik’s bowling will be important and he will have to bowl all his quota of 4-overs,” he said. There was renewed speculation over Pandya’s fitness in the first half of the IPL when he bowled sparingly. However, he picked up his bowling workload as the tournament progressed. ‘If Dube bowls it’ll be added advantage for India’ Singh also said that Shivam Dube bowling for India would be an added advantage for the 2007 champions. “If Shivam Dube bowls too, then it will be an added advantage for India ahead. Shivam may not play some matches initially but whenever he plays, he will perform well and score runs for India,” he said. Pandya had to deal with boos and jeers in almost every stadium of the country, particularly in Mumbai where fans seemed to have never accepted him as a replacement for Rohit Sharma. Pandya had been traded by the Gujarat Titans, whom he had led to the title in their debut IPL season and the runners-up position in the next, to the Mumbai Indians in the most high-profile before the auction last year. However, there was widespread anger among MI fans over him replacing Rohit as captain Catch every big hit, every wicket with Crick-it, a one stop destination for Live Scores, Match Stats, Quizzes, Polls & much more.Explore now !. Stay updated with the latest cricket news, T20 World Cup 2024 updates, and match highlights. Explore the World Cup Schedule 2024, track the World Cup Points Table, follow Virat Kohli’s performance, and stay ahead with the stats on World Cup Most Wickets and World Cup Most Runs on the Hindustan Times website and app. News / Cricket News / Hardik Pandya’s injury scare touched upon as 2007 T20 World Cup winner sets all-rounder’s bowling workload

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T20 World Cup: India look to assess pitch and second fast-bowling option in only warm-up game | Cricket News

T20 World Cup: India look to assess pitch and second fast-bowling option in only warm-up game | Cricket News

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NEW DELHI: Yashasvi Jaiswal will strive to contribute to the team’s combination puzzle with a valuable performance, while Arshdeep Singh and Mohammed Siraj must showcase their best efforts during India’s sole T20 World Cup warm-up match against Bangladesh before their tournament opener on June 5.Despite all 15 players being regular starters for their respective IPL teams, the squad boasts an abundance of talent.However, discovering the optimal combination will be crucial to ending India’s 11-year international trophy drought.In the warm-up game, it is anticipated that all 14 players, except for Virat Kohli, who is expected to arrive sometime before the practice match, will be given an opportunity to play, as the game does not have official status. This will provide a chance to assess each player’s form after most of the core team members enjoyed a two-week break.Captain Rohit Sharma and departing head coach Rahul Dravid will need to make two critical decisions. Even if Jaiswal is in good form, integrating him into the team will be challenging, as it would require leaving out a power-hitter like Shivam Dube from the playing XI.It is a foregone conclusion that Jaiswal might have to sit out, allowing Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma to open the batting. This decision could also create an opportunity for Dube to feature later in the tournament.“Shivam Dube is a six-hitting machine. He can be the ‘x-factor’ in the T20 World Cup. But if Shivam has to be in the XI, then you can’t play Yashasvi. Rohit has to take that call and I prefer both pace-bowling all-rounders in the XI. If Shivam plays, he can take on the opposition wrist spinners in the latter half,” Suresh Raina, one of India’s premier T20 batters of his time, said on Friday when asked about a possible combination.India’s second challenge will be identifying Jasprit Bumrah‘s opening pace-bowling partner. Arshdeep Singh and Mohammed Siraj have been inconsistent in the IPL, and their performances have not met expectations.RP Singh, a key player in India’s victory in the first edition, believes that Hardik Pandya‘s four overs will be crucial. Furthermore, he suggests that Arshdeep should be the second frontline pacer on the newly-installed drop-in pitch.Discussing the ideal length to bowl on the US pitches during early morning starts, Singh emphasized the importance of variations, which make Arshdeep a better bet compared to Siraj.“As per my understanding, there should be a bit of slowness in the wicket. So, the ideal length will be somewhere around just short of good length. There will not be a lot of swing for the bowlers but the bowlers with variations, not only yorkers but also slower ones, leg and off cutters…,” RP replied to a PTI query during a promotional event in Delhi.“These deliveries will be utilised a bit more by Arshdeep, so the success rate will be automatically higher for him and that’s what I understand the wickets in the US,” he explained.Facing Bangladesh on a pitch that offers less pace, India’s middle-order batsmen will be tested by the spin duo of Shakib Al Hasan and Mahedi Hasan. Additionally, they will need to find answers to the variations posed by cutter master Mustafizur Rahaman.(With PTI inputs)

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'Thoda improve hogaya lag raha hai': When Hardik Pandya sledged Dinesh Karthik | Cricket News

‘Thoda improve hogaya lag raha hai’: When Hardik Pandya sledged Dinesh Karthik | Cricket News

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Dinesh Karthik announced his retirement after Royal Challengers Bengaluru‘s (RCB) exit from IPL 2024, following their loss to Rajasthan Royals in the Eliminator; and while looking back at his playing days, the former wicketkeeper-batsman shared some interesting moments from on-field banter with his India teammates during his IPL career. “Every time I played against RCB and Virat Kohli caught my catch, ‘Ben Stokes’ came out of his mouth for sure,” said Karthik on a lighter note in an interview with Cricbuzz.”But that was a send-off.”Besides RCB, where he joined Virat, the 38-year-old veteran previously played for Delhi Daredevils, Kolkata Knight Riders, Mumbai Indians, Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings) and erstwhile Gujarat Lions.He then went on to share the words Hardik Pandya, who is now Mumbai Indians’ skipper, once shot at him while he was batting. “Hardik Pandya sledged me saying ‘abhi legspinner aaya, iska thank you hi hai’ (a legspinner will come and it is Thank You time]. Then I had to play a couple of shots and then he was like ‘theek hai, thoda improve hogaya lag raha hai’ (okay, looks like he has improved a little]. That was good. He’s a good friend. He was also like ‘Commentator banke bhi thoda kaam kar raha hai’ (Even after becoming a commentator he’s working on his game) That was fun,” Karthik said. Karthik, who played 257 IPL matches and 60 T20Is, also mentioned he moment when former Mumbai Indians’ captain Rohit Sharma teased him with “isko World Cup khelna hai” comment on the field in the just-concluded season. “Rohit this year taunting me… unnecessarily giving me hopes,” said Karthik.Besides playing 60 T20Is, Karthik, who also does commentary, featured in 26 Tests and 94 ODIs for India.

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Hardik Pandya joins Team India in New York, starts training on ‘national duty’ for T20 World Cup

Hardik Pandya joins Team India in New York, starts training on ‘national duty’ for T20 World Cup

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Flamboyant India all-rounder Hardik Pandya has reached the USA and he straightaway started training with the Indian team. Hardik, who had a tough IPL season, didn’t travel with the first batch of players but he has reached the New York and posted photos of the first training session on social media. Hardik Pandya has started training with other Indian players ahead of T20 World Cup.(X-Image/@hardikpandya7) Team India has started the preparations for the mega ICC event and focused on bringing the trophy back home. India won the inaugural T20 WC title in 2007 under MS Dhoni’s leadership but have been eluded from the title since then. Unlock exclusive access to the latest news on India’s general elections, only on the HT App. Download Now! Download Now! Pandya, who has been going through a lean patch, will be Rohit Sharma’s deputy in the T20 WC. He posted a few photos on social media. “On national duty,” the Indian all-rounder captioned the post. The 30-year-old had a forgettable IPL campaign with Mumbai Indians. He was traded by the five-time champions ahead of the season and was also named captain of the franchise which irked the fans as they were not happy with Rohit Sharma’s sacking from the captaincy duties. Pandya was booed by the fans on several venues and faced heat on social media too. Nothing went as planned for him on his homecoming to MI after two years as they finished at the bottom of the points table. He also struggled with the bat and scored just 216 runs in 14 matches but managed to regain his bowling form in the second half and claimed 11 wickets in IPL 2024. There was speculation throughout the season that MI’s dressing room was a divided house due to the change of guard. Rohit will now captain the national side with Pandya as his deputy in the mega ICC event. Meanwhile, Rohit had a decent IPL 2024 season with the bat, scoring 417 runs at an average of 32.07 and a strike rate of 150. He scored a century and fifty, with the best score of 105*. India will start their T20 World Cup campaign on June 5 against Ireland at the newly constructed Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York. Meanwhile, the most-awaited blockbuster clash between India and Pakistan will take place on June 9. They will later play tournament co-hosts USA (June 12) and Canada (June 15) to wrap up their Group A matches. Catch every big hit, every wicket with Crick-it, a one stop destination for Live Scores, Match Stats, Quizzes, Polls & much more.Explore now !. Stay updated with the latest cricket news, T20 World Cup 2024 updates, and match highlights. Explore the World Cup Schedule 2024, track the World Cup Points Table, follow Virat Kohli’s performance, and stay ahead with the stats on World Cup Most Wickets and World Cup Most Runs on the Hindustan Times website and app. News / Cricket News / Hardik Pandya joins Team India in New York, starts training on ‘national duty’ for T20 World Cup

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T20 World Cup: Want Hardik Pandya to come good, he has gone through a lot, says Harbhajan

T20 World Cup: Want Hardik Pandya to come good, he has gone through a lot, says Harbhajan

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Former India off-spinner Harbhajan Singh has nothing but empathy for Hardik Pandya as he navigates a challenging phase in his career and is hopeful that the all-rounder, who “hasn’t been a free man in the last two months”, will become one during next month’s T20 World Cup. Pandya endured a forgettable IPL both as captain and player with his team Mumbai Indians ending bottom of the heap in the points table. What made things worse was the incessant jeering of fans whenever he took the field, including at MI’s home turf — the Wankhede Stadium. Also read | ICC Twenty20 World Cup 2024: full schedule, dates and venues But Harbhajan expects the tide to turn in the Americas during the T20 showpiece. “When he wears that blue jersey, he will be a different Hardik Pandya because we know he can score those runs and take those wickets. I want Hardik to come good as he has gone through a lot and I wish him all the very best to have a very good tournament for India,” Harbhajan told PTI in an exclusive interview. “If he has a good tournament, obviously India will have a great chance to go forward,” he said. “Yes, his form is a bit of a concern…and lot of other stuff was going on around him, his shifting from Gujarat to Mumbai, was a big change and the team (MI) didn’t react too well to Hardik coming back and that too as captain,” the 43-year-old added. The reason for the fan backlash against Pandya was MI’s decision to hand him the captaincy after taking it away from the long-serving Rohit Sharma. There was speculation throughout the season that MI’s dressing room was a divided house due to the change of guard. Rohit will now captain the national side with Pandya as his deputy in the World Cup starting June 1. Harbhajan, a multi format World Cup-winner, urged the team management to bring Pandya and Rohit on “same page”. “…it looked like they (MI) were not playing together as a team. So there was a lot going on. Hardik wasn’t a free man in the last two months. I believe both of them and many others who have played in different teams will have to come together to do something special for the nation…,” he said. “Winning a World Cup is a bigger achievement than winning an IPL trophy, so I would urge the management to bring everyone together, have them on one page and make sure they play like one. “I believe it’s the responsibility of the management to come together, and win together. Even if they lose they should be losing together.” Bumrah will need support Jasprit Bumrah is the only speedster among the chosen three (the other two being Arshdeep Singh and Mohammed Siraj), who doesn’t need conditions to be successful, feels Harbhajan. “Pace attack definitely could be a concern because because Bumrah is in a different league for the kind of bowler he is. He will win you games on any kind of pitch. He doesn’t need conditions whereas other bowlers like Arshdeep and Siraj would need help from conditions. “If there’s bounce, Siraj might do well. He is tall, can also swing it both ways, hits the deck hard and has got pace. But if wickets are slow then the challenge begins for other bowlers. “There will be lot of responsibility on Bumrah’s shoulders but I hope other guys also take responsibility to be someone special.” IPL performances won’t matter Harbhajan said IPL form would make no difference to the players’ fortunes in the ICC showpiece. “No matter what you have done in your IPL career or previously, this is what counts the most…if I was in their shoes, I would be looking for this opportunity to showcase that I have been better than what I have been doing,” the ‘Turbanator’ stated. Virat is a changed T20 batter Harbhajan was mighty impressed with how Virat Kohli tweaked his T20 game during this year’s IPL by adding shots to his repertoire, which drastically improved his strike rate. “Virat has shown a lot of improvement from last year to this year and people spoke about his strike rate. It was in 130s during last year and this time it is in 160s,” he said. “Of course it’s a big big change. Virat and Rohit will have to score quickly in Powerplay but also need to respect the conditions in USA and West Indies.” If Gambhir becomes coach Harbhajan doesn’t know whether Gautam Gambhir, who is being spoken of as the favourite to take over India’s head coach position from the outgoing Rahul Dravid, will get the job but he does believe it would be a crown of thorns for whoever chooses to wear it. “If I say it properly, it is a speculation, which is doing rounds…the biggest thing a coach can do is to bring everyone together, so that team plays together. So, whether Gautam becomes coach or Ashish Nehra, or whosoever gets the opportunity, hope they do better than what others before them did.” He also ruled himself out of the race. “I don’t think I will be able to give that much time. At this stage of my life I have a young family and I need to be around them and look after them. Yes, when the right time comes, I will put my foot forward and say I am ready for it,” he concluded.

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