Former India cricketer Ashish Nehra feels Hardik Pandya should have given strike to Dinesh Karthik in the last over of the first T20I between India and South Africa. The Rishabh Pant-led team lost the match by seven wickets.
All-rounder Hardik Pandya played a brilliant cameo in the first innings batting lower down the order. He scored 31 runs off 12 balls, including two boundaries and three sixes at a strike rate of 258.33. However, his refusal to give strike to Dinesh Karthik in the last over of the first innings was criticized by a few.
Hardik Pandya managed a couple of runs off the last delivery to take nine runs off the over. India put on 211 runs in their 20 overs, on the back of Ishan Kishan’s brilliant 76-run knock. While discussing the match on Cricbuzz, Ashish Nehra expressed that Hardik should have taken the single. He said,
“He should have taken a single before the last ball. It was Dinesh Karthik at the other end, not me.”
https://twitter.com/RohitKohliDhoni/status/1534917239740465155?s=20&t=7DNIhHs3Q_Wojihun4plbg
Hardik Pandya has the ability to pull off any role with ease: Ashish Nehra
Ashish Nehra worked with Hardik Pandya as the Head coach of the Gujarat Titans team in the Indian Premier League 2022 edition. The former cricketer expressed that Hardik has the ability to play all kinds of batting roles with ease.
“Hardik Pandya is someone who can play all kinds of roles. He has got every type of batting up his sleeve. We have seen him performing in Tests and ODIs as well. With his batting ability, he can perhaps bat at any position… be it No.3 or 4 spot. He was captain for Gujarat and contributed with the ball as well. It was a different role. Before that, he wasn’t bowling much and was batting down the order. He is back in his old role tonight… but he has got the ability to pull off any role with ease,” said Ashish Nehra.
The second T20I between India and South Africa will be played at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack on Sunday, June 12. The visitors are leading the five-match T20I series 1-0, after winning the first match by seven wickets.
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