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'Felt everything was thrown at me’: Hardik reveals he bowled in T20 WC despite being unable to; ‘Was in team as batsman’
Hardik clarified that he was picked a batsman in the squad and not as an all-rounder before admitting that he felt some vibe that "everything was thrown at" him.
India all-rounder Hardik Pandya on Monday revealed how he "pushed" to bowl in the second game of the 2021 T20 World Cup despite being picked in the squad as a batsman. Recalling the tournament, he admitted that he felt the pressure was on him amid criticisms that India were lacking a sixth-bowling option after their 1o-wicket loss to Pakistan in their tournament opener.
India had never lost to Pakistan in a World Cup meeting. And the Dubai opener in the 2021 T20 World Cup was exepected to bore the same result with India having entered as the pre-tournament favourites. But Pakistan scripted a phenomenal 10-wicket win riding on an unbeaten opening stand between captain Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan to script their maiden win against India. One of the primary concern for the Indian team in that game was their lack of bowling depth. With no sixth-bowling option, then skipper Virat Kohli was left to rotate between five other options.
Speaking on Backstage with Boria, Hardik clarified that he was picked a batsman in the squad and not as an all-rounder before admitting that he felt some vibe that "everything was thrown at" him. He further added that despite not being able to and not being advised to, he pushed himself to bowl in the second game for the team.
"I was kind of getting the sense or vibe that a lot of things came on me. Obviously that is fine. I play the sport, I get the...but the position in which we were and when I went, I felt everything was kept on me, everything was thrown at me. I didn't bowl, yes, but I was selected in the team as a batsman. I worked really hard to bowl in the first game, which obviously I was not able to. I got hit the first game and in the second game when I pulled, I wasn't supposed to go. I pushed for my team but eventually setbacks as you said things happen," he said.
Hardik has long been suffering from a back injury which saw him playing as a batter through a major part of 2021. He had even played solely as a batsman in Mumbai Indians' IPL 2021 campaign. However, he did bowl for India in the two T20 World Cup matches against Afghanistan and New Zealand, conceding 40 runs for no wickets.
Hardik wasn't picked in the subsequent series for India as he continues to recover from the injury. However, the Baroda-based player is raring to make a comeback in IPL 2022 as an all-rounder.
“I want to play as an all-rounder. If something goes bad, then I don’t know but my preparations are all about playing as an all-rounder. I am feeling good, feeling strong and eventually, the time will say what happens,” he added.
