This was the Hardik Pandya that India had always hoped for. He is here now

It was not long before that questions were being asked about Hardik Pandya’s place in the Indian team. Pandya was often injured and reduced him from an all-rounder to a specialist batsman. And, as a batsman, he struggled to counter the fast bowlers when they dug the ball short and hit his ribs. Pandya could neither go inside the line nor cut or cross the ball from the off-side and pull it through the square with any degree of continuity.

Then came the dreadful phase when he was thrown out of the field in 2018. With a back surgery in the offing, the question to be asked was whether he would ever be his old form again. The important thing is whether he will be able to come back and bowl with intensity and zip.

It was only in February this year that some light was shed on it. Pandya had the complete package in the Indian Premier League. He was the captain, floating batsman and originator of the ball for Gujarat Titans. At times it seemed that Pandya was bowling himself extra at the top of the innings to prove his fitness. But, it was not at the expense of the team. Match by match, his pace increased so much that he could push himself back to pick up the new ball. As a batsman, Pandya could open, he could be strong and when asked to do so, would go back to the old times and tonk the ball to finish the match.

This was the Pandya that India hoped to materialize, but had not actually seen with any great consistency in the past. It was Pandya who stepped in the middle against Pakistan.

Although he did not take the new ball, Pandya was bowled to the side in the power play overs. Pandya never looked like a part time bowler. This was a guy who could give you four overs a day. Bending his back to get extra carry on the Dubai surface, which provided a touch of variable bounce, Pandya had stopped Pakistan’s batsmen.

The special thing is that he was right in the game even though he was not bowling. Of course, Rohit Sharma was the captain, but it was often Pandya who was preparing the field and assisting the bowlers with tips on planning wickets.

When he came back to bowl the second spell, Pandya showed that fitness was not an issue even in the scorching heat of Dubai. With wickets in succession that put Pakistan behind, Pandya finished with figures of 4-0-25-3.

But he was not there. India’s familiar struggle with the top three continued as they chased down 148 and at 89/4 in 14.2 overs, it looked like Pakistan would take the win. But, Pandya was surprised, and India deepened the game, with Ravindra Jadeja providing scintillating batting cover.

So much so that people were on the edge of their seats when the last over started. With a scintillating performance from Jadeja and after his stumps were damaged, Dinesh Karthik came on and got a single. Then came the Pandya special. Mohammad Nawaz threw the javelin into a short, sharp dart but Pandya waited. Head still, base stable, feet planted, long levers come out and they launch the ball into the stands. That day, you couldn’t have asked for more from Pandya.

Originally published at Pen 18