VIDEO | Lack of communication causes yet another drama between Hardik Pandya and Dinesh Karthik
Hardik Pandya and Dinesh Karthik have not been the best of pals when it comes to batting together for the same team. The duo has managed to add another moment to their miscommunication saga while batting together in a practice game against Essex County Cricket Club before the Test series.
India did not get off to a great start batting first against Essex losing three wickets with just 44 runs on the board. Murali Vijay and Virat Kohli then planned to steady the ship. Unfortunately, just when the partnership started to settle down, Paul Walter dismissed the duo and all of a sudden India were 147-5. KL Rahul along with Dinesh Karthik further had a 114-run stand before the former got dismissed on 58. In came Hardik Pandya looking forward to steadying the ship further.
Apart from dismissing the talented duo (of Vijay and Kohli), Walter had struggled with his line and lengths later in the day. He was bowling at Pandya, who was batting on 20 from 21 balls, just before the incident took place. Walter bowled at his pads very full and he flicked the ball towards square-leg and immediately started running towards the non-striker’s end.
On the other end, Karthik was not sure about the run considering the fielder at square-leg. However, there was a misfield which finally let the duo take the single. Pandya mid-way through the run stopped and expressed his disappointment as he thought it was an easy single. He even gestured that while running towards the non-striker’s end.
Karthik faced the following delivery after taking a leg-stump guard. It (The ball) was pitched short and was asking to be hit. Karthik effortlessly played a pull-shot towards the longest boundary (square-leg) on the ground. After which, the duo had a brief chat to sort out the confusion.
— Hit wicket (@KetanPa99513423) July 25, 2018
The mistrust between the duo has been a concerning issue of late. In the last Test against Afghanistan in Bangalore, Karthik was run out due to the same reason while batting with Pandya. He had tapped the ball and ran forward to take a single but his partner was not interested. As a result, he had to run back to save his wicket and eventually fell short.