T20 World Cup 2024: Hardik Pandya's 'completely different' avatar to be witnessed after awful IPL season, claims ex-India star

Hardik Pandya endured a tough IPL on his return to Mumbai Indians in IPL 2024. He had to also endure a lot of hatred as the franchise skipper after he rejoined the franchise. 

The MI fans did not welcome him back to the franchise, especially with the new captaincy role given to him. They were booing him across venues and rooting for Rohit Sharma instead.

The added pressure of the fans told on their performance and they finished last on the points table for the second time in three years after their fifth IPL title win in 2020. 

However, now with the IPL campaign over for Mumbai Indians, Hardik Pandya can focus on his role with the Indian cricket team for the T20 World Cup. He looked to have completely recovered from his injury. He also bowled a lot of overs to prove his fitness well. He was a bit cold with the bat.

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Parthiv Patel backed Hardik to be back at his best at he spoke at the Legends Intercontinental T20 League launch. Parthiv feels that Hardik's ability to bowl pace and his skill in taking on spinners will serve him well in the upcoming T20 World Cup campaign for India.

"Obviously, he will be completely different player once he gets into that Indian team jersey. There is no doubt he did not have a good IPL season but he is very crucial to the Indian team. You know, having a fast bowling all-rounding option and his hitting ability to spin on other grounds which are not that big in West Indies, so Hardik Pandya can play a crucial role in India's T20 World Cup campaign," said Parthiv.

Talking about his numbers in IPL 2024, he picked 11 wickets with the ball at an economy rate of 10.75 and an average of 35.18. With the bat, he scored 216 runs in 14 matches at an average of 18 and a strike rate of 143.05. Pandya is the designated vice-captain of the Indian team for the T20 World Cup.  

Hardik Pandya does not have good numbers in West Indies. He has played six T20Is in the Caribbean scoring just 99 runs and picking up just six wickets at an average of 22.17.

Very interestingly, none of the 15 players picked in India's T20 World Cup squad will be playing in the IPL 2024 final. Teams like Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians, who have been the most successful IPL teams did not have good IPL seasons.

Meanwhile, there were a few debatable selections in the Indian cricket team. Shubman Gill and Rinku Singh have been put in the reserves alongside Khaleel Ahmed and Avesh Khan. 

Rinku's exclusion was talked about a lot as he was the specialist finisher on the side but ended up not getting a spot. He did not get too many chances with the bat this season and thus could not repeat his heroics from last season. 

India's T20 World Cup Squad 

Rohit Sharma (c), Hardik Pandya, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Sanju Samson, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohd. Siraj. Reserves: Shubman Gill, Rinku Singh, Khaleel Ahmed, Avesh Khan

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