ICC World Cup 2019 | People are now scared of what Hardik Pandya can do, says Kiran More
Kiran More has stated that Hardik Pandya has matured as a batsman and now the teams are scared of what he can do with a bat in the hand, which will be a helpful factor for the Indian team in the World Cup. More has also added that Pandya and MS Dhoni will be very crucial in the death overs.
Hardik Pandya had a good IPL this year and his 402 runs at an average of 44.66 was one of the major reasons behind Mumbai Indians having a fantastic season in 2019. His hitting was clean and the controversy after the Koffee with Karan fiasco seemed to have made him stronger. Come the World Cup and he will be an effective player for Team India and Mumbai Indians wicket-keeping coach Kiran More believes so.
"Even though the formats are different, it will benefit him. As much as I know him, he'll bat in a mature manner - there will be times when he will just look to hit the ball, and there will be times when he will stay at the wicket.
"The key point of his recent success is the maturity in his batting, which comes with age. People are now scared of what he can do. Teams will be planning for his wicket and will gun for him," More, who has seen Pandya since the time he joined his academy as a kid, to the present day, told ToI.
Although Pandya has done a little to shed away the unpredictable and slogger tag that he has garnered in the IPL, he has flashes of brilliance in the ODIs and Tests for India. The impact that he brings to the table has made him a confidante for Virat Kohli and Ravi Shastri, and More attested to that.
"Hardik and Dhoni will be very crucial in the death overs for India, especially as we'd be required to put up big totals. Pandya has got a hundred in Tests too. He's done well in all formats. I've always believed that if a player does well in Tests, he can do so in ODIs. He's now a key player for India in all the three formats," he feels.
Pandya's career had taken a big jolt when his misogynistic comments on Kofee with Karan saw him being suspended from the Indian team and his name was taken away from the squad for the Australia tour. Although he made a comeback for the New Zealand tour, he became a more organised person after that and has been in a roll ever since.
"The way he's bounced back from this controversy shows his character. He's a player for the big occasion. I mean, he overshadowed Andre Russell during that 34-ball 91 that he smashed against the Kolkata Knight Riders. Amongst the Indian batsmen, he was looking the best in the IPL," praises More.
0
0
0
0
0
0
Comments
Sign up or log in to your account to leave comments and reactions
0 Comments