Is Fashionista Hardik Pandya an Overrated Batsman in Team India?

Other than Team India skipper Virat Kohli, the only other batsman who is regular in the line is Hardik Pandya. Pandya broke into the team after his all-around success with Mumbai Indians (MI) during his very first stint in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

The promising all-rounder stole the limelight when he scored a quickfire 21 off eight balls to take Indians home against the arch-rivals Chennai Super Kings (CSK). Few explosive innings followed this and Pandya suddenly became a star all-rounder after Mumbai lifted the coveted trophy that season.

Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar eventually stated that Pandya would soon be playing for India. Team management named in the Twenty20 team against Australia and impressed in the very first match by picking up a couple of wickets and also took a vital catch.

Additionally, the One-day International debut came quickly for the Baroda cricketer. He made his chance count by bagging the Man of the Match in his very first game.

It was all going well for Pandya. His rapid rise made many compare him to the legendary World Cup-winning skipper Kapil Dev.

It looked like India’s long search for fast bowling all-rounder had finally come to an end. His impressive showing with the bat in last year’s Champions Trophy in England and Wales. It setup a maiden call in the Test side.

Pandya went on to justify the decision by scoring a fifty on his debut against Sri Lanka. In the very same series, he scored his maiden ton to start his Test career with a bang.

So within two and half years, Pandya has two IPL trophies, got praised by Tendulkar, retained by MI for staggering INR 11 crore, made debut for India in all the three formats. So much so, he scored a Test ton, got Man of the Match Award in his very first 50-over fixture, and eventually won an Asia Cup and became a permanent member of the team. Isn’t a fairytale?

But the real test was yet to come. Pandya was selected for the tour of South Africa. He scored a quickfire 93 off 95 in his very innings of the tour, although luck was on his side throughout the innings. Things, however, went haywire after that when he returned with single digits on the tour.

Hardik Pandya a pale shadow?

On tough tracks in Centurion and Johannesburg, he could not even face 20 balls. As a result, his technique drew widespread criticism. What made the matters worse for him was his ineffective bowling.   Pandya bowled just 20 overs in the last two test of the South Africa series. His batting average dropped below 35 and bowling average rose to 40.

His performance in ODIs dipped too. Barring the home series against Australia last year, Pandya has not quite managed to make a mark in recent times.

Since October 2017 his batting scorecard reads- 16, 30, 8, 10, 8, 3*, 14, 9, 0, 21, 21. Ironically, he managed to score just 13.2 runs per dismissals.

Pandya, who had made a name for himself for his ability to hit big sixes, managed to hit just two sixes in these matches. But perhaps India’s good run in the last few months has made up for Pandya’s mediocre run.

However, the team’s poor performance in the ongoing Test series in England has once again raised doubts over Pandya’s technique.

So, the question that arises is Hardik Pandya overrated as a batsman in Team India?

Well, performances last year had made many believe that he would finally end India’s long wait for a fast-bowling allrounder. But at present, the signs are not looking promising. His struggles in overseas conditions and lack of application with the bat are making many doubt his credentials as a reliable batsman.

Perhaps these problems were always there, but the good results of the team never highlighted them.

So, at the time being, seeing Pandya’s place in the playing safe, one can say that he is overrated although we would like to be proven wrong.

Hardik Pandya needs to sort out his technique very soon and start playing more matured and responsible innings.

If Pandya does not play few promising innings in the ongoing series, he can face the axe from the squad for Australia later this year. And, interestingly he will get ample of time to focus on a new haircut and Instagram videos.