Hardik Pandya: Why the series against Ireland will help India’s new captain prove a point

(File) Hardik Pandya hitting 60 runs off 21 balls, taking the Mumbai Indians' total to 195/5 in October 2020. Captaincy may have toned down Pandya’s brashness, which shows in his batting now. (Image: IPL/BCCI/Twitter)

Hardik Pandya’s elevation from a fringe player in the Indian team—in and out for the last couple of years—to captain comes not just rapidly, but as evidence to the importance of the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Pandya has not been a regular in the Indian team for a while now. He last played a Test match almost four years ago; played a few one-day internationals (ODIs) in the last couple of years and some T20 internationals. In these last years, since early 2019, while his batting average in T20s has improved marginally (from 22.28 to 29.41), his bowling average has been poorer (28.57 to 45.44). Part of the reason is Pandya has not been fit enough in the last few years to bowl consistently or to be able to hold on to his place in the side.

How did the 28-year-old become the captain of the Indian T20 side for a two-match tour of Ireland later this month?

To begin with, Pandya, who had not bowled a single over for the Mumbai Indians (MI) for the last two seasons, picked up eight wickets in the 30-odd overs he bowled in the IPL for the Gujarat Titans (GT), a team he captained. MI had decided, ahead of this year’s IPL auctions, to release Pandya from their team, a surprising decision considering he has been one of the team’s stars since 2015. MI’s decision would have been based on Pandya’s fitness issues.

GT, a new entrant in the IPL this year, took him in the team and promoted him to captain, a new role for Pandya who has not led a team in any major event. Not only was Pandya’s bowling a revelation—on occasions he opened the bowling, hitting speeds of 140kmph sometimes—but his captaincy inspired GT to the title. 

This was backed by his batting as well, leading the scoring for his team with 487 runs at an average of over 44 and a strike rate of over 131 with a highest score of 87. He promoted himself up the order, to No. 4, to give himself higher chances of scoring, which ultimately worked in his favour.

Several experts have commented how captaining an IPL team, with its mix of international players, experienced ones and rookies, the competitive nature of the league and the pressures of it, is equivalent to leading a national side. Pandya’s report card from the IPL not only got him into the Indian team, but pushed him up the ranks against Ireland. 

Pandya’s elevation has come at a time when several leading players in the team will be absent in favour of the Test match against England. He was pushed ahead of Bhuvneshwar Kumar, a far more experienced campaigner in international cricket, but one without captaincy experience even in the IPL. Kumar will be Pandya’s deputy in Ireland. 

“Hardik’s captaincy style is true to his personality and character,” says the Titans’ team director Vikram Solanki. “He cares about people, the team and by that he cares about the team he is leading. You see someone who is passionate, a positive cricketer.”

Captaincy may have toned down Pandya’s brashness, which showed in his batting. From someone who used to strike at about 185 (runs per 100 balls) in 2019-20, he pulled it back several notches to 131 this season. 

His team was also, unlike several others, not built on the back of a few stars or performers. David Miller, bought for just Rs 3 crore, had done nothing special for the last eight seasons before blossoming here as a finisher. His 481 runs at an average of nearly 70 was one of the team’s many bright spots.

“I think opportunity firstly,” Miller told broadcaster Star Sports when asked about his transformation. “I have been given a good role and a good extensive run in the team. I felt extremely backed from the onset. My personal game, I am really enjoying my role. I have been playing for many years now, and I think I am just understanding my game a lot better.”

Others like Shubman Gill, Wriddhiman Saha, Rahul Tewatia, even newcomers like Yash Dayal and Sai Sudarshan had their moments under the spotlight, a tribute to the team’s leadership.

“He always wants to play attractive, positive, challenging cricket,” Solanki says of Pandya. “He will put himself in positions that he would ask of others. His captaincy is true to his character. He has grown as captain—one of the real assets for us. He has taken to captaincy, he was enthused and energised about it. He has been nothing but exceptional.”

In the series against South Africa, Pandya has had mixed results. There was a 12-ball 31, a 12-ball 9, and an unbeaten 21-ball 31 in the first three matches. But in the five overs he has bowled in three matches, he has been wicketless. His 31-ball 46 in the fourth T20I on Friday that set up India’s win has been the only redeeming performance.

The series against Ireland—with two matches in Dublin on 26, 28 June—will set many questions to rest, of Pandya’s ability to rise to the occasion outside of the IPL.