In his first match after being suspended for controversial remarks on a TV show, Hardik Pandya registered bowling figures of two for 45 in his 10 overs and took a superb catch to dismiss rival skipper Kane Williamson in India’s eight-wicket win over New Zealand.
With the win, India took an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match ODI series.
About Pandya’s contribution with the ball and in the field, captain Virat Kohli was happy.
“It’s very, very good to have Hardik back,” he said. “He is someone who provides a lot of balance to the team. And the way he bowled today showed he went back and practiced his skills.”
Pandya had Henry Nicholls caught behind for six runs in the 40th over. He came back in the 42nd over to dismiss Mitchell Santner in a similar fashion. He was also India’s most economical bowler on Monday.
“He put his head down and focused on what he needed to do and you could tell from the way he bowled with intensity straightaway, picking two crucial wickets at that stage,” said Kohli.
The captain added that Pandya’s contribution with the bat, ball and in the field is vital to the team.
“It’s good to have him back in the right head space and the right kind of mindset to perform for the team and I hope he can keep growing with this performance,” he said.
Pandya and teammate KL Rahul were suspended and received flak from various quarters for their controversial comments in the TV show Koffee with Karan.
But Kohli is confident that Pandya can emerge as a better player from the controversy.
“You can either be broken by a situations or emerge stronger by focusing your energies on cricket. If you respect the game, the game respects you in return. We have seen players who have been able to change their careers historically after such situations,” he said.
