India will be looking forward to continue their winning momentum in the ongoing T20 World Cup 2022 when they take on Netherlands in their second match of Super 12 stage in Group 2 clash at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) on Thursday.
After beating arch-rivals Pakistan in a last-over thriller to start off their campaign on a high, Rohit Sharma-led team need to ensure their campaign is on track when they take on the European nation. Following a great first round, Netherlands would be super excited to be playing India at one of the iconic grounds in the world.
As far as Team India’s playing 11 is concerned, there were speculations that Hardik Pandya, one of the top performers for India in the Pakistan match, would be rested for the Netherlands match. However, India’s bowling coach Paras Mhambrey put all rumours to rest by informing that Pandya will be playing on October 27.
Pandya had been one of the main architects in India’s thrilling four-wicket victory over Pakistan in their T20 World Cup opening match at a packed Melbourne Cricket Ground, picking 3/30 in four overs of pace and making 40 off 37 balls while sharing a match-winning stand of 113 off 77 deliveries with Virat Kohli (82 n o off 53 balls) for the fifth wicket in a chase of 160.
Though by the end of the innings Pandya had some cramps, there were speculations that he could be rested from India’s second Group 2 match against the Netherlands. But Mhambrey brushed all of those talks aside.
“The strategy is that Hardik wants to play all matches, which is an important thing. We are not looking at resting anybody and that sort of thinking is not there for any player. Hardik is a very important player for us. He adds to the balance, bowls and bats as well. Other than that, the attitude which he has on the ground is of note, just like he played a crucial inning in the last match,” Mhambrey said in the pre-match press conference.
Quizzed on whether Pandya bowling his four full overs will direct India to get an extra batter in the playing eleven, felt the move is completely dependent upon the conditions on offer for any particular match in the tournament.
“It’s good that Hardik gives you four overs options and that’s what we wanted. He brings a lot of balance to the team. He’s been very effective for us; he’s picked wickets for us and that’s important. Getting a batter in or the different combinations will purely depend on the team we are playing and also the conditions,” he added.