Ever since returning from a back stress fracture, Hardik Pandya has showcased remarkable progress on the field. His rise can be understood by the fact that he is the captain of Gujarat Titans and guided them to their maiden title win in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and the vice captain of the Indian squad for the Asia Cup 2023. The Baroda player has made significant progress after being handed the national T20 captaincy and hes again bowling at a brisk pace.Workload managementHardik Pandya openly says that as a multi-skilled cricketer, his workload doubles, and at times even triples, compared to that of a specialist batter or bowler. Talking to Star Sports, Pandya says, “As an all-rounder, my workload is twice or thrice as much as anyone elses. When a batter in the team goes and bats and finishes his batting and is heading home, Ill still be bowling after that”.Speaking of his workload management, he said,”So for me, all the managing, all the pushing, and everything happens during the sessions, my training or my pre-camp season”.Furthermore, he explained that he reads the match situation and then makes a call on whether to bowl out his full quota of 10 overs or not. “When the game arrives, it is more about whatever the team requires, and the managing side goes out of the park, and it is more practical calls about how many overs are needed for me. Because if 10 overs are not needed, there is no point in me bowling 10 overs, but if 10 overs are needed, then Ill be bowling. I always believed that I gave myself a chance to succeed by reading the game and backing myself”.Saviour of gamePandya emerged as the ray of hope on a day when team India found themselves in a tricky situation at 66/4. He and Ishan Kishan formed an important partnership, and his brilliant 87-run innings helped India reach a respectable total of 266. While the rain may have later hindered his all-around performance, it is his fortitude and adaptability in pressure situations that highlight his importance to the team, particularly in the white-ball format.
