Top 5 Performances of Hardik Pandya

The man of the hour, Hardik Pandya has recently responded to his critics in a most appreciable way, a response in form of a brilliant performance. These kind of responses are the ones highly expected from every sportsman.

The lanky, brash bloke with a supposedly 'cool' hairstyle from Baroda was the answer for India's quench for a fast-bowling all-rounder after experimenting with many, starting from Stuart Binny to Rishi Dhawan. Despite being known mostly for his swagger charisma, in vogue with the modern day cricket, the young lad has got into the core part of the Indian Cricket team in all formats of the game within a span of 3 years. The proof that a Mohawk hairdo or tattoos all over body won't do any slouch to the game is Hardik Pandya's career growth. Though he has often been referred to as the next Kapil Dev or Indian Kallis, he wants himself to be known as Hardik Pandya, free from comparisons.

Now let us take a look at Pandya's major breakthroughs

#5 May 2015

30 needed from 12 balls, Mumbai Indians were at the jaws of defeat with half the side back in the pavilion against Chennai Super Kings, who are always at their best in their own den, Chepauk. Pawan Negi was with the ball who himself wouldn't have dreamt that he would be bowling the 19th over if not for Dhoni's instincts. Negi tossed up a loopy ball and the crowd went into silence. That was the first six over to the roof out of two more which followed in the same over, making it an easy win for MI.

That match-winning 8-ball 21 runs knock at the internationally acclaimed glamourous event not only boosted his confidence but also earned him lauds from then MI's coach Ricky Ponting.

"I have actually got quite close to Pandya since I started in this job, he is fearless and has lots of very good skills. He is going to be a very good cricketer going forward and is someone I am excited to continue to work with."

These were the words from Ponting on Pandya's heroics that ensured the win. This also marked the start of their winning streak which prolonged till the end of the tournament.

#4 March 2016

Hardik Pandya defends 11 runs in the last over, T20 World Cup 2016

Even before people could find the lost balls which were smacked out of Chepauk by him during IPL 2015, he was handed over with a white Kookaburra ball to bowl the last over to defend 11 runs against Bangladesh in a Super 10 match, World Cup T20 2016.

Mahmadullah and Rahim at the crease were well settled in to chase this off. An easy single was taken in the first ball to get Rahim on strike who went on to score two boundaries in the consecutive deliveries. A short wide slower ball and a missed yorker both were picked well and sent to the ropes. Rahim was celebrating early with just 2 runs needed off the last 3 balls and it seemed as if Hardik Pandya can't do a Joginder Sharma of World Cup T20 2007.

1 4 4 W W W

However, the game had a twist to the climax, the in-experienced yet promising all-rounder held on to his nerves and came back strong, the next 3 balls saw 3 wickets, India won by 1 run.

#3 June 2017

Hardik Pandya's 76 off 43 in vain chasing a target of 338 runs

Chasing a mammoth total of 338 runs in a Champions Trophy final against their archrival Pakistan, India was 54-5 at the end of 14th over. With half the side back to the pavilion, hopes were already shattered when the protagonist of the article comes into the crease to bat at number 7. The game seemed to have already foreseen its result but the relatively new shoulders carried the burden of billion hopes and approached to chase the impossible target positively.

The hero doesn't win every battle indeed. A quickfire fifty comprising off huge sixes all the way were of no use as the hopes were crumbled when Ravindra Jadeja refused to take a single and ran out the lone warrior. His 76 runs off just 43 balls comprising of 4 fours and 6 sixes went in vain as India got bowled out for 158 runs by 31st over. The game was one-sided except for the 40 odd balls Pandya was batting, one of the biggest margin loss helped to see the rise of India's promising gritty player.

#2 January 2018

Hardik Pandya proving his mettle against South Africa in South Africa.

After surprisingly making a cut into the Test team's playing eleven, Hardik Pandya proved his mettle in the longer format as well by scoring his maiden fifty in the very first innings and his maiden ton in the same Test series against Sri Lanka. Within few months of time, he was retained in the squad for the South African tour as well.

When the odds were totally against him, the 3-Test-old "Caribbean" from Baroda stepped up to the challenges at Cape Town, one of the toughest conditions to bat on. Coming in to bat at 76 for 5 he rattled the South African attack scoring 93 off 95 balls, ensuring a decent 200 plus first innings total. India couldn't recover well to win the Test from that stage. But Pandya's impressive strike rate and his partnership with Bhuvaneshwar Kumar for the 8th wicket, which is now the highest 8th wicket partnership for India, sealed his spot in the prestigious format as well.

#1 August 2018

Hardik Pandya leading the team after picking his maiden 5-wicket-haul

Ahead of the third Test of the tour, at Nottingham, the speculations were totally around the all-rounder questioning his consistency. The all-rounder has been criticised throughout the series and before. Despite his performances right from the start, be it at the internationally acclaimed IPL or in World Cup T20 or at the South African soil when even the top-order batsmen were struggling. Ironically he happens to be India’s second leading run-scorer in Tests in the calendar year 2018 but everyone called for his head.

Unscathed by criticism, he responded with a five-for in a span of just 5 overs and scored a run-a-ball 50 against the mighty Englishmen in their own soil, turning the match around for India who was 0-2 down in the series.

The fast bowling all-rounder with a funky hairdo has already grazed beyond the expectations within a span of 3 years in all the three formats of the game swinging the ball in and out of the park.