Former Indian cricketer-turned commentator Aakash Chopra said that all-rounder Hardik Pandya has updated his batting software when he was injured and now he has started playing like a proper batsman after impressing with his batting in the recent white-ball series against England.
The former opener further claimed that Pandya has the ability to hit a century in the ODI cricket if he gets enough balls to play while reiterating the right-hander is now playing like a specialist batsman.
His remarks came after Pandya played blazing 44-ball 64 to help India post a total of 329 in the third and the final ODI against England on March 28 which the hosts won by 7 runs to clinch the ODI series 2-1.
Chopra said on Star Sports network, “Hardik Pandya seems like a proper batsman to me now, honestly. I don't see him as an all-rounder or finisher at all. If you bat him up the order, he will score a century as well if he gets enough balls.
If you see his shots today, nine out of ten times you will see cricketing shots and wherever he tries to hit the ball, he has prepared so well for those shots that his execution is amazingly good.”
He further said the 27-year-old applies a specific tactic against the seam bowlers while pointing out his dismissal puts a major impact on Team India's final score in the final ODI against England.
Chopra further explained, “Four wickets had fallen at one time. When KL Rahul got out, it seemed the innings had floundered. The way he batted after that, he has the strength; he updated his batting software when he was injured. He has started playing like a proper batsman.”
He signed off by saying, “There is a specific game plan that he will go deep inside the crease against fast bowlers and keep his weight forward despite that so that he is not off-position while playing the shots.
He has been consistently scoring runs, whether it is spin or fast bowling, and was actually upset that he got out at the wrong time. If he had kept on playing, 390 was also possible.”
