Hardik Pandya has been India’s star performer both on and off the field in Australia. The all-rounder who played as a hitter in the limited overs series against Australia not only emerged as one of the profitable hitters in the middle order, but also showed signs of a mature team by handing his Man of Series T20 to a newcomer. T Natarajan.
In response to the same, former Indian hitter VVS Laxman said it was an “excellent” gesture from Pandya, adding that there is no doubt that Natarajan will continue to work hard in the future.
“Excellent gesture from @ hardikpandya7 It’s great to see him exhibiting leadership qualities. I am also very happy for @ Natarajan_91. I have no doubt that Nattu will continue to work hard and show improvement and progress in his craft. Good luck, ”Laxman tweeted.
Natarajan made his ODI and T20I debut on this Australian tour and impressed everyone with his ability to adapt to different situations. Natarajan emerged as Captain Virat Kohli’s man of reference in the absence of experienced paddlers Jaspirt Bumrah and Mohammed Shami.
“I want people to believe in themselves and achieve anything, even if the odds are against them. It’s just my way of appreciating your hard work over the years. For me, Natrajan deserves the Man of the Series award. Acting so brilliantly in her debut says a lot about her belief and the talent she possesses, ”said Pandya.
While Natarajan picked just two wickets in the ODIs, he finished with six wickets in the three-game T20I series, the most. In fact, it was the way he continued to play Yorkers that impressed everyone with the pacemaker comparing himself to someone like Zaheer Khan.
Pandya had previously spoken about how the pacemaker deserved the Man of the Match award also after the second S20I.
“I thought Natarajan would have been the Man of the Match. The other players struggled and he really played a good game, he gave us a goal 10 runs lower than it would have been, “he said.
Captain Virat Kohli had said that the pacemaker can be an advantage for the team. In fact, Kohli is known to like left arm pacemakers because of the angle they create.
Natarajan’s special mention for him as in the absence of Bumrah and Shami. He’s been the guy who got up and really delivered under pressure. And it is an outstanding fact that he is playing his first international match, ”Kohli said during a virtual press conference on Tuesday.
“He looks very serene and he’s a very hard-working and humble guy too. I wish him all the best and a bowler with his left arm is always an advantage on the field and if he can be consistent it will be a great thing for us heading into the world cup next year, ”he added.
(With ANI inputs)
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