Displeased Hardik fires back after ex-West Indies star’s ‘you won’t want to be that captain…’ remark in 3rd ODI toss
Hardik Pandya is leading the Indian team in the decisive third ODI against the West indies with Rohit Sharma choosing to sit out this game as well alongwith Virat Kohli. The three-match series is level at 1-1 and India are looking to avoid their first series defeat to the West Indies, who failed to qualify for the 2023 World Cup, in the format since 2006.
Pandya had a rather interesting question to the former West Indies star’s question
West Indies captain Shai Hope had won the toss and chose to field first at the Brian Lara Stadium in Trinidad. This is the first ODI being hosted at the venue. Former West Indies spinner Samuel Badree had conducted the toss and the 42-year-old reminded Pandya the fact that no Indian captain has been on the losing side in an ODI series against the Carribean team since 2006. It led to a rather interesting response from the all-rounder.
This is how the exchange went:
Badree: “India have won 12 straight bilateral ODI series vs West Indies. You don’t want to be that captain to break the trend, right?”
Pandya: “It’s okay. I like to be unique”
Pandya further said that India see batting first as a good opportunity to make a big total over the course of 50 overs. “Two changes for us. Ruturaj comes in place of Umran and Unadkat comes in place of Axar. Going to the decider the boys are pumped up and looking forward to the game. Looks good (the surface), I don’t think much will change, batting first gives a good opportunity for us to set a good total,” he said.
India have chosen continue giving their fringe players chances despite facing a situation where they could fall to a first ODI series deferat to the West Indies in well over a decade. Opening pair Ishan Kishan and Shubman Gill have got the visitors off to a strong start, bringing up the 100-run partnership in the 14th over. Kishan scored his third consecutive half century of the tour in just 43 balls. Gill also scored his first half century of the tour later, thus ending a lean run he has been on since the 2023 WTC Final. The opening stand was broken only in the 20th over as Kishan fell to Yannic Cariah on 77 off 64. His partnership with Gill was worth 143 runs in 19.4 overs.
