3 days ago
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A medium-pace all-rounder is idiosyncratic each squad hopes to person successful their arsenal crossed the formats. Over the past decade, Hardik Pandya has been that idiosyncratic for India successful white-ball cricket. Whenever helium is fit, the Baroda all-rounder is 1 of the archetypal names successful the starting XI. However, the 32-year-old’s predominant injuries person meant the squad has often struggled to find the close combination.
In the 2023 World Cup, Hardik’s wounded unsettled the line-up, and the deficiency of a akin replacement forced India into an awkward compromise with a agelong process starting astatine No. 8.
Ahead of the adjacent year’s ODI World Cup, adjacent arsenic the selectors are keen connected Hardik focusing connected the 50-over format, determination is simply a pressing request to find a screen for him. Since the backmost extremity of 2025, Nitish Kumar has been trialled successful Hardik’s lack successful ODIs and could go a cardinal cog successful the Men successful Blue’s preparation.
The Andhra all-rounder has, successful caller times, worked with high-performance bowling manager Steffan Jones and accrued his pace. In the archetypal one-dayer against Afghanistan present connected Saturday, Nitish delivered a good spell of 2 for 31, including the cardinal wicket of centurion Rahmanullah Gurbaz, who helium castled with a cleanable inswinging yorker.
Speaking aft the match, the 23-year-old revealed helium is acceptable for the challenge. “As an all-rounder, I person to bash some jobs for my team; that’s erstwhile the squad is going to beryllium successful a large position, truthful I conscionable person to amusement up erstwhile the skipper gives maine the shot oregon erstwhile the squad needs immoderate runs. I person to amusement intent connected the field,” said Nitish, who claimed his maiden wicket successful the ODIs connected Saturday.
On the circumstantial areas helium has worked on, Nitish said: “I figured retired that I americium a front-on bowler and worked connected the stride lengths, wanting to spell overmuch quicker connected run-up. That’s moving for me, and it’s coming bully now.”
While all-rounders bring a batch of value, Nitish felt the Impact Player successful the IPL doesn’t assistance them vessel regularly. “For all-rounders, it is simply a small spot hard due to the fact that we ever expect we [will] get 4 overs and, adjacent if we get smashed successful the archetypal 1 oregon 2 overs, you tin travel backmost and springiness your best. That’s wherever the players’ mindset is determined. It utilized to beryllium similar that, but present if you vessel 1 oregon 2 overs badly, and possibly that’s the extremity of the tourney for you. I judge bowlers should get 4 overs, and all-rounders should vessel 4 overs to get that experience,” said Nitish.
Considering the conditions successful South Africa, India volition anticipation Nitish tin emergence to the task of not conscionable being a screen for Hardik but besides beryllium acceptable to complement him.
