It is hard to believe that this is the same Hardik Pandya. The all-rounder that national selectors seem to suggest cannot currently be classified as such – he is not fit enough to bowl and no longer deserves a place for batting alone – has been chosen by a new franchise to lead them to an IPL title. The player likely to be demoted in domestic contracts to be announced soon will earn his highest IPL salary this season. Is anyone misinterpreting Pandya’s career trajectory, and very wrong at that?
The coaches’ loss of confidence may have a lot to do with Pandya not being able to exceed his overs quota at last year’s T20 World Cup. His injury management has also raised questions. Pandya was India’s answer to a versatile bowler, until he was stretched after injuring his back during the Asian Cup in September 2018. He underwent back surgery in UK in October 2019.
Jasprit Bumrah’s single action was considered vulnerable to back injury, and those fears were confirmed when he suffered a stress fracture. He avoided surgery and although his performance when he returned to New Zealand at the start of 2020 was subdued, he improved as he played in games and is back to his best. level.
Pandya hasn’t kicked a ball for Mumbai Indians in the last two editions of the IPL. At IPL 2021, a month before the World Cup, MI coach Mahela Jayawardene warned that “if we push too hard (to bowl) he might even struggle and not be an asset as a drummer”. India lacked team balance during the World Cup – the hosts failed to advance to the semi-finals – which saw Pandya complete with some slow-to-medium pace overruns.
Last year was also not memorable for Pandya the hitter. The T20 is his format of choice, but it was only a pale shadow of his powerful side. His IPL was disappointing (Avg 14, S/R 113) while he also lacked notable T20I batting performance.
The Ahmedabad franchise therefore seems to have taken a leap of faith on the versatile Baroda, making him also captain. Ahmedabad team cricket manager Vikram Solanki said in a media interaction on Tuesday that Pandya was made captain for being “a proven winner with Mumbai (MI)” as a player.
Pandya said his experience as a captain dates back to the U-16 days. “But you don’t have to be a captain to lead. You lead in different ways. In my team, I will be captain, but there will be other leaders in their own roles,” he said during this interaction.
Untrained captains are nothing new to IPL. Neither KL Rahul nor Rishabh Pant had proven themselves when they were appointed as leaders. In Pandya’s case, being a fashionista, with an inked body and styled hair, gives her brand a brash look. This can be useful for a new team looking for a unique identifier to spice up bulletin boards.
PANDYA LOCAL BOY
“Maliye jaldi” (see you soon) is Pandya’s promise to Ahmedabad fans in Gujarati in his first greeting video. His Gujarat membership will be another attraction for the franchise choosing him over a seasoned captain. However, if marketing and regional connection were primary considerations, IPL is full of such experiments that don’t work. Choosing the skipper of a catchment area is a dated strategy. It was at the start of the IPL when the T20 misfits were leading – Sourav Ganguly captained the Kolkata Knight Riders, Rahul Dravid Royal Challengers Bangalore and VVS Laxman Deccan Chargers. That Rohit Sharma is from Mumbai and Pant from Delhi is a coincidence. This is not something MI and Delhi Capitals pay much attention to.
Solanki said Pandya’s local connection was just a “cherry on top”.
Pandya however is ambitious to learn from the former captains. “De Virat, his aggressiveness, his passion and his energy. From MS Dhoni, poise and composure. De Rohit, leaving the player to decide. It would be a very good combination,” he said.
Ultimately, if Pandya’s tattoos become a target of criticism or celebration as a fashion statement, it may be dictated by how her franchise performs on the auction table next week. Building a strong team would be skipper Pandya’s first big challenge.
He may be out of form but Pandya remains a rare powerhouse for India’s white ball team. Head coach Rahul Dravid recently hinted at a possible return of Pandya, who has pledged to regain his all-around skills. “I realized that as an all-rounder I give the team a lot of options. If something doesn’t work, my stick is always there,” he said.
“Naa… Hardik Pandya, who can bat and bowl, sounds much better than just a batsman,” he adds. How much work can his body handle then? “It’s a surprise for everyone,” he said.
Like most other things with the versatile star, the plot is a constant companion.
