Indian commentator Aakash Chopra has pointed out that Hardik Pandya has been far from his explosive best as a lower-middle order batsman in T20I cricket recently. West Indies defeated India 3-2 in the recent five-match T20 series between the two teams. Hardik could manage only 77 runs in his four innings at a low average of 25.67 and a tremendous strike rate of 110.00.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra highlighted Hardik Pandya’s confused captaincy against the West Indies. He also pointed to the usually destructive batsman’s weak T20I returns in the past year.
He said:
“If we see his stats as a batter also in T20Is from 15th August (2022) to 15th August (2023), he has played 25 matches, among those who have batted at No. 4 or lower, he is third from bottom in terms of strike rate. He has not done a lot of hitting there as well. So that is also a problem.”
The former Indian opener said that Hardik rarely scored better than a run-a-ball in his last 10 T20 innings. He elaborated:
“The striking power has been seen slightly less. If you see his international numbers for the last little while, you will find that he hasn’t done any significant hitting. In the last 10 T20Is, you see only two or three instances where the runs are more than the balls, which is not a good story.”
Hardik Pandya has scored only 188 runs in his last 10 T20 innings at an average of 23.50 and a strike rate of 110.58. He has reached the 30-mark only once in this period and has faced only seven sixes in 170 balls.
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“2023 Was An Okay-Okay IPL” – Aakash Chopra On Hardik Pandya
Aakash Chopra highlighted that even Hardik Pandya’s IPL 2023 stats were nothing special. They said:
“The 2022 IPL was brilliant, where he hit very well, the strike rate was high, the runs and wickets were also more. 2023 was an okay-okay IPL. The runs were also fewer, he picked up only three wickets and the strike rate wasn’t anything special either.”
Cricketer-turned-commentator added:
“His bowling economy was also 9.12 and the batting average was also okay-okay. He scored only two half-centuries whereas he had four fifties the year before that.”
Hardik Pandya scored 346 runs in 15 innings in IPL 2023 at an average of 31.45 and a strike rate of 136.75. He dismissed only three players at an average of 76.00 and had the worst economy rate among all Gujarat Titans bowlers who bowled at least 25 overs. ,
