Former India batting coach Sanjay Bangar emphasised the balance that Hardik Pandya’s gives to the Indian team ahead of the highly anticipated Asia Cup 2023 final. On Sunday, September 17, at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, the co-hosts and reigning champions Sri Lanka will face off against India for the coveted championship.
Bangar emphasised that the addition of the top all-around player Hardik makes the setup appear balanced. In addition, he explained how Hardik taking on the role of third seamer has benefited India in the run-up to the 2023 ODI World Cup.
“Hardik Pandya has become much more mature over the years.
He experienced some setbacks in terms of fitness, but he has since persevered to get to where he is. He has taken on the duties admirably and is leading India in T20 matches. Being an all-around player, he provides the squad with a lot of balance, according to Bangar, who was quoted by India Today.
Going into the World Cup, our assault is among the best. Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj are two excellent new ball bowlers, and there’s also the skilled Mohammed Shami. Since he provides a wicket-taking option, Kuldeep (Yadav) has a wide range of options. Jadeja is nearby, too (Ravindra). Hardik does provide India a fantastic option with the ball, as we said earlier. I believe that India’s bowling lineup is powerful and complete overall going into the World Cup, he continued.
Hardik Pandya has taken three wickets in four matches in the ongoing ACC competition and scored 92 runs in two innings, totaling 87 and five runs, respectively. Hardik Pandya will try to put his best foot forward and contribute throughout the matches given that he has been selected the vice-captain of the setup for the major ICC event.
Hardik, who was benched for the final Super Four game against Bangladesh, is probably going to be reinserted into the starting lineup for the summit encounter. India, meanwhile, defeated Sri Lanka in the Super Four round by 41 runs in a low-scoring contest, and they’ll be looking to repeat that performance in the championship game to win the trophy.