IND vs ENG: If Hardik Pandya Bats In The Top-5, It Gives So Much Depth To The Indian Team - Michael Vaughan
Former England captain Michael Vaughan reckoned that playing Hardik Pandya at the top will allow the Indian team to bring in an extra bowler depending on the conditions they are facing.
Ahead of the second T20I against England, India will be confident having won the first game. Not only did Hardik smash his maiden fifty, he also picked up four wickets in the match to seal the deal for the visitors.
“If Hardik can bowl 6-8 overs in 50-over games then it will help India immensely. He should bat in the top five in any white-ball format. They always had batters and bowlers but didn’t have anyone in the top five who could bowl a few overs.”
“I think the way he batted in the IPL was special. If he bats in the top five then it gives so much depth as India can then play an extra batter, extra pacer, or spinner depending on conditions,” Vaughan told Cricbuzz.
“Couldn’t do anything wrong today” – Michael Vaughan on Hardik’s all-round performance
Hardik came in at a time when the platform was set by Suryakumar Yadav and Deepak Hooda but India needed a strong finish. After taking his time initially, he found his range and scored a 33-ball 51.
“Hardik was exceptional with bat and ball. Picked up those four wickets and had a nearly perfect game. Couldn’t do anything wrong today. A big, big victory for India to start the series,” he added.
In the run chase, the Baroda all-rounder took the wickets of Liam Livingstone, Jason Roy, Dawid Malan, and Sam Curran to put India in the driver’s seat.
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