India vs Australia | Krunal Pandya was rewarded for his quick thinking, claims VVS Laxman

India sealed a fine comeback in the third and final T20I against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground to end the series on a positive note at 1-1. An unbeaten 61* from skipper Virat Kohli, and an inspired bowling effort form Krunal Pandya was enough to guide India to a six-wicket win and maintained their unbeaten series record.

In his column for TOI, former Indian batsman VVS Laxman congratulated Virat Kohli & Co. for bouncing back from their initial setback and beating the Aussies on home soil. Laxman singled out the elder Pandya for praise as he ended the match with figures 4/36 after he was hit all over the ballpark for 55 in the first game at the Gabba.

"While 10 is an impressive number, I was more pleased with the character and the resilience the team showed. No one characterised that better than the bowlers, with the feisty Krunal Pandya at the forefront. The older Pandya had gone for plenty in the last T20I against the Windies in Chennai as well as in Brisbane last week but the way he bounced back was heartening to see. He quickly learnt from his mistakes and bowled slower through the air, thereby giving the ball every opportunity to grip the surface. His four wickets were just a reward for intelligence and the ability to think on his feet," Laxman wrote for TOI.

Laxman went on to highlight the performance of young pacer, Khaleel Ahmed, who the former reckons is one to watch out for in the future. He also praised the efforts of left-handed opener, Shikhar Dhawan, who was also adjudged man of the series having registered scores of 76 and 41 in the two games he batted in.

"Khaleel Ahmed is another for the future. The youngster is an excellent exponent of swing bowling, with the added advantage of bringing the ball into the right-hander, always a valuable weapon. He might go for a few from time to time, but he is definitely worth investing in to complement the core pace bowling group of Jasprit Bumrah and Bhuvneshwar Kumar.

"Not for the first time, Shikhar Dhawan took my breath away with his electric stroke-making. He did so without trying to muscle the ball; when Shikhar is purring along like a well-oiled engine, he is at his most dangerous," Laxman concluded.