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(AP)
"I won't lie, I am really excited for South Africa series. I would like to use this break to improve my fitness for the series. People are talking about it....It's a much hyped series. I like challenges in life, they keep me going," Hardik had said.
Cut to Cape Town, and the 24-year-old Gujarati was walking the talk. The odds were heavily stacked against India when he walked in at a precarious 5/76. The most settled batsman Cheteshwar Pujara had just been dismissed and the shoulders in the dressing room had started to drop.
Situation like these demands extra caution, but Pandya had other ideas. He knew that he was running out of wickets and doesn't posses the Pujaraesque patience to go for the hard grind. So he chose to attack. He was tentative initially and was lucky enough to be dropped off Philander. Thanks to his presence of mind he was quick to take the DRS when it seemed he will be the next one to bite the dust. The replays had showed that the ball had kissed his thigh pads and not his bat as thought by the Proteas slip cordon.
After the close shaves, he threw caution to the wind. First he launched Philander over long off and then danced down and hit him again towards mid on. On reaching his half century, Hardik shifted gears. By this time the environment in the dressing room had also changed dramatically. On the contrary, the Proteas were surprised by the counter-attack. They had India on the mat at 93/7 and suddenly a 99 run partnership between Pandya and Bhuvneswar Kumar was threatening their hold on the game.
Pandya grew so confident in the course of the innings that he even successfully attempted an upper cut to find a boundary. By the time Tea was taken, the tables had turned. Unfortunately Pandya storm ended as he was dismissed for 93. But the knock surely must have rubbed onto his teammates who couldn't help themselves but clap. They knew Pandya had given India a lifeline.
First Published: January 8, 2018, 7:30 AM IST