India all-rounder Hardik Pandya played an instrumental role with the bat during the recently concluded white-ball series against Australia.
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Pandya registered the scores of 90, 28 and 92* in three ODIs while he made 78 runs in three T20Is, including a match-winning knock of 42 not out in 22 balls in the second game, which helped India to clinch the series.
In the lead up the tour, however, the national selection committee "wasn't convinced" about picking Hardik in the white-ball teams as he wasn’t fit enough to bowl.
During the white-ball series, Pandya bowled only four overs in the second ODI and claimed one wicket.
"The selectors, at least some, believed he can't go because he can't bowl. It was a surprise they didn't see the kind of batting form he was in. It took some convincing to have Pandya included because if it was left to certain individuals, he was unlikely to go," those tracking developments quoted as saying by TOI.
"These are the kind of decisions that show if one is capable of looking at the bigger picture. Right now, whether he can bowl or not, Hardik is indispensable in the white-ball format. Between now and the T20 World Cup, these kind of selection decisions will be very crucial," sources added.
The selectors were also not sure about T Natarajan as they had picked the left-arm pacer only as a net bowler initially.
Natarajan impressed one and all with his impressive performance in the white-ball series against Australia, claiming eight wickets from four outings.
"It was absolutely clear he would play the T20s after what they saw in the nets. The wicket of Mitchell Starc in the first game (T20) cleared whatever little doubt there was," sources told TOI.
"But Natarajan's ability to bowl yorkers at will was so astonishing that there is no doubt he should've been part of the T20 squad. Not just a net bowler. In the end, he got what he was deserving of," said those tracking developments.
(With TOI inputs)
