It Was An Incredible Spectacle Of A Game: Justin Langer On Hardik Pandya's Match-Winning Blitz

Swashbuckling Indian batsman Hardik Pandya has come in for huge praise from former Australian Test opener and their current head coach Justin Langer following his latest heist with the bat.

Coming into bat at a stage when India still needed a further 75 runs in 6.3 overs, Hardik Pandya smashed an unbeaten 22-ball 42 to help his side romp home by six wickets and in the process notch up their 10th successive win in the shortest format of the game besides taking an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match rubber.

Langer went on to describe Hardik’s knock as an ‘incredible spectacle’ before he went on to liken the Baroda all-rounder with the legendary MS Dhoni as far as finishing games is concerned.

“It was an incredible spectacle of a game. We know how dangerous he (Pandya) is. In the past we had MS Dhoni and the way he (Pandya) played today,” Justin Langer said at the virtual press-conference.

“He has played really well all summer so, obviously it was a great innings in the end there.” Langer added.

 

‘India were too good for us today’- Justin Langer

Despite the defeat, Justin Langer said that he is incredibly proud of his players for the fight they put up besides doffing his hat off to India, adding that the experienced T20 players of the visitors were too good for his side today.

“I thought the whole game was a very close one. Our fielding was absolutely incredible, it was electric to watch, but India with their experienced T20 players were too good for us today,” said the Australia coach.

Justin Langer also heaped high praise on his batting-unit, adding that the score they eventually got was enough and he had thought at the break that India will have to bat really well to win the game [which they did].

“I am proud of my players. It was a great spectacle, on a Sunday night India versus Australia, it got so close, it was a really exciting game. We batted really well, had enough runs and thought India would have to bat really well.”

Langer also reserved special praise for Indian captain Virat Kohli, who enthralled all the onlookers with an audacious ABD-issue scoop over fine-leg during his stellar knock of 24-ball 40.

He signed off by once again iterating that Virat Kohli is the best player he has ever seen.

“Some of Virat (Kohli’s) shots, I have said for years he (Kohli) is the best player I have probably ever seen. Some of the shots he played tonight were extraordinary and (they got) good opening partnership and got over the line,” he signed off.

Also Read- Hardik Pandya Dedicates His Match-Winning Knock In The Second T20I Against Australia To All The Fans In India