Jennifer
Team India under the captaincy of stand-in T20I skipper Hardik Pandya locked horns with Mitchell Santner-led New Zealand in the first of the three-match T20I series. The JSCA International Cricket Stadium of Ranchi hosted the T20I series opener between both teams. Hardik won the toss and elected to bowl first.
Batting first, the Kiwi team managed to post a decent total of 176 runs for the loss of 6 wickets courtesy of half-century knocks by senior opener Devon Conway and middle-order batter Daryl Mitchell.
Later on, while chasing the target, the hosts’ batting lineup couldn’t survive long against the bowling attack of Santner’s men. Eventually, team India fell short of the target and lost the match by 21 runs despite some brilliant batting heroics by the young all-rounder Washington Sundar.
The Indian cricket fans weren’t pleased with the poor captaincy tactics and techniques of Hardik Pandya on the field. They took to Twitter to lash out at the 29-year-old for a poor approach and intent while leading the team in the quickest format of the game.
Here’s how fans reacted:
Hardik Pandya 21 off 20, he want to become India's next captain 🤡 😂 😂 😂 😂 🤣
— Ctrl C Ctrl Memes (@Ctrlmemes_) January 27, 2023
When is the last time Chapri #HardikPandya played well for #TeamIndia ?#IndvNZ#IndianCricketTeam https://t.co/70llb7iSd8 pic.twitter.com/g4thazZ75G
— Avis Trilochana🪷 (@ClanofGriffin) January 27, 2023
#hardikpandya the most overrated and waste of a player, can't imagine he is the captain of a international side. Just can play #ipl that's it#IndvsNZ
— The Highwayman 🇮🇳🇮🇳 (@anirbanmm) January 27, 2023
Irresponsible of #HardikPandya to play that wild stroke despite watching the ball is turning
and the need to take deep with the quick wickets that fell earlier #INDvNZ #IndvsNZ #NZvsIND #NZvIND #CricketTwitter #cricket pic.twitter.com/aFFWihAHmK
— Nasir 🏏 (@Nasir0271) January 27, 2023
Why no is one talking about #HardikPandya? Since he started being the captain in t20, has he made any impact with the bat or bowl? Every innings i have seen he has just failed as a batter/bowler. Not sure about being a captain. #INDVsNZT20 @BCCI #NZvsIND
— prashant singh (@itsjustsingh) January 27, 2023
Worst captain in indian cricket? #HardikPandya #INDvsNZ
— inder Singh bhati (AD) (@InderSinghBha18) January 27, 2023
No man that was not the right time for this shot #HardikPandya #INDVsNZT20
— ARPIT MANGARAJ (@MangarajArpit) January 27, 2023
No man that was not the right time for this shot #HardikPandya #INDVsNZT20
— ARPIT MANGARAJ (@MangarajArpit) January 27, 2023
Later on, Hardik blamed the wicket for India’s defeat and subsequently, he talked about the difference in how the new ball was playing differently from the old ball.
“No one thought this wicket would play like that, both teams got surprised but New Zealand played better cricket. The new ball was turning more than the old ball. The way it turned and bounced surprised us but till I and Surya were batting, we thought we would pull it off. In hindsight, we ended up giving 25 runs more than the par. The way Washington bowled, batted, and fielded; it was more like Washington against New Zealand than India against New Zealand. If he and Axar can continue the way they are, it will help Indian cricket a lot,” said Hardik Pandya during the post-match presentation.
