2017 ICC Champions Trophy: Virat Kohli Reveals What Prompted The Team Management To Send Hardik Pandya Ahead Of MS Dhoni

Nov 2, 2023 at 3:47 PM

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2017 ICC Champions Trophy: Virat Kohli Reveals What Prompted The Team Management To Send Hardik Pandya Ahead Of MS Dhoni

There are very few batsmen in the world who can strike the ball as good as MS Dhoni in the death overs and the stage was once again set for the former India skipper to prove his mettle in India’s Champions Trophy opener against Pakistan on Sunday (June 4).

However, the defending champions sprung a huge surprise by sending Hardik Pandya to bat instead of the proven campaigner.

The Baroda all-rounder, who had enjoyed a magnificent outing with the bat in Indian Premier League, had already impressed one and all with his power hitting in the second warm-up tie against Bangladesh when he had blasted 80 off just 54 balls including six fours and four sixes.

Pandya was sent into bat when there were only 10 balls left and the hard-hitting all-rounder justified the decision by hitting three consecutive sixes in the first three balls of the final over to help India post a massive 319 for three in the innings that was reduced to 48 overs due to rain.

Speaking at the post-match conference, Kohli revealed promoting Pandya ahead of Dhoni was the last minute decision. He also stated that Pandya’s ability to play the big shots right from the first ball prompted the team-management to promote him at number five.

“It was unbelievable the way he came out. We switched in the end, they asked whether we should send Hardik ahead of MS and everyone agreed because he can just strike the ball from ball one, unbelievable ability so I think those three sixes and a boundary was probably a little bit of difference as well in the end,” Kohli said.

India, meanwhile, began their title-defence in style, beating the arch-rivals by 124 runs (DLS method).

Chasing a revised target of 289 in 41 overs, Pakistan never looked in contention of pulling off an unlikely win and eventually finished their innings on 164 for nine, with Wahab Riaz unable to bat due to an injury he suffered while bowling.

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