RR vs GT: It Gives Me Confidence To Go Out And Express Myself: Abhinav Manohar On Batting With Hardik Pandya
Published - 15 Apr 2022, 02:53 PM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 01:07 AM
Gujarat Titans batter Abhinav Manohar said Hardik Pandya helps him to read the situation of the game in a better way. Manohar had a fantastic outing against Rajasthan Royals on Thursday as the Karnataka batter hit 43 in 28 balls, including four boundaries and a couple of sixes, striking at 163.57.
Manohar stitched a partnership of 86 runs with skipper Hardik for the fourth wicket before he departed in the 16th over. Hardik’s blistering 52-ball 87* powered Gujarat Titans to a commendable 192/4.
It feels good to bat with Hardik Panya because he is a similar batsman to me: Abhinav Manohar
Manohar felt great batting with his captain in the middle overs and the Karnataka player wants to learn a lot of inputs from the Indian all-rounder.
“It feels good to bat with Hardik because he is a similar batsman as I am. Even he is a hard hitter of the ball and that gives me the confidence to go out there and express myself. He is always there out in the middle, telling me what to do, how to read the situation better,” Manohar told teammate Yash Dayal in a video posted on IPL’s official website.
“There’s a lot to learn from him when I am batting out there. I have seen him bat on TV and I have always been a big fan of him and the way he strikes the ball,” he added.
RR vs GT: It felt good to face Yuzvendra Chahal: Abhinav Manohar
Manohar cracked a four and a six off leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal in the first two balls of the 13th over. The Gujarat Titans batter slog-swept Chahal for another six over mid-wicket before the latter had the last laugh as Manohar was caught by Ravichandran Ashwin while attempting a similar shot.
The 27-year-old batter said he was aware of Chahal’s bowling plans and adjusted his shots accordingly.
“Yuzi (Chahal) has been a good friend of mine for the past 5-6 years. We’ve always been talking that one day I will get to face him in the IPL, and that day was today (Thursday). It felt good to face him. I kind of knew what he was going to try against me. I played my shots and it worked in my favour,” Manohar said.
Gujarat Titans won by 37 runs as debutant Yash Dayal impressed with figures of 3/40 and New Zealand pacer Lockie Ferguson scalped three for 23 runs.
