Former India batter Ambati Rayudu has praised Hardik Pandya for playing a fighting knock in the third T20I against England in Rajkot on Tuesday, January 28. However, he opined that the all-rounder could have shown more faith in Dhruv Jurel's ability with the bat.
England set India a 172-run target after Suryakumar Yadav won the toss and asked them to bat first for a third consecutive game. Hardik top-scored for the hosts in the chase with a 35-ball 40 but couldn't prevent a 26-run defeat.
Reviewing the game on Star Sports, Rayudu was asked about his thoughts on Hardik's knock and whether he was slightly late in pressing the accelerator.
"It was a good performance because batting wasn't that easy and wickets were falling from the other end. So he paced his innings well. However, when the finishing touch was required to be given, he could have shown a little faith in Dhruv Jurel," he responded.
While highlighting Hardik's hitting ability, the former Chennai Super Kings (CSK) batter reckoned the match might have been tighter had the seam-bowling all-rounder shown more faith in Jurel.
"Even if 25 had been required in the last over, Hardik has the ability to hit that. So I feel if he had shown a little more confidence in Dhruv Jurel, the game might have been closer. However, the way he paced his innings was very heartening," Rayudu observed.
Hardik turned down an easy single when Jurel played a Jofra Archer delivery to deep square leg off the last ball of the 18th over. The former India captain was dismissed off the first ball of the next over, leaving the remaining batters with an arduous task of scoring 41 runs off 11 deliveries.
"The wicket column for Hardik Pandya remains empty very rarely" - Piyush Chawla lauds all-rounder's spell
![Hardik Pandya registered figures of 2/33 in four overs in the third T20I against England. [P/C: Getty]](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/01/aef97-17381235025346-1920.jpg?w=190 190w, https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/01/aef97-17381235025346-1920.jpg?w=720 720w, https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/01/aef97-17381235025346-1920.jpg?w=640 640w, https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/01/aef97-17381235025346-1920.jpg?w=1045 1045w, https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/01/aef97-17381235025346-1920.jpg?w=1200 1200w, https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/01/aef97-17381235025346-1920.jpg?w=1460 1460w, https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/01/aef97-17381235025346-1920.jpg?w=1600 1600w, https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/01/aef97-17381235025346-1920.jpg 1920w)
In the same discussion, Piyush Chawla was asked about his views on Hardik Pandya's spell in Tuesday's game.
"He is a wicket-taker. The wicket column for Hardik Pandya remains empty very rarely. If you pick up wickets with the new ball in T20s, and he dismissed Phil Salt, who is a good attacking batter, in his first over, and then he bowled well in the slog overs, I feel it was a very good spell from Hardik Pandya," the veteran spinner replied.
Hardik had Phil Salt (5 off 7) caught by Abhishek Sharma at cover in his first over. He later got rid of Liam Livingstone, having the big-hitter caught by Dhruv Jurel at long-on for a 24-ball 43.
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