The Indian T20I skipper was widely criticised on Twitter for not giving young Tilak Varma the strike to get his second half-century against the West Indies.
Indian cricket fans didn’t hold back in disappointment with stand-in India skipper Hardik Pandya even as he finished off the proceedings for the third T20I in Guyana with a six on Tuesday (August 8). They were left fuming over the premier India allrounder for denying young Tilak Varma his fifty at the other end.
With two runs required off 14 deliveries, fans expected Hardik to turn over the strike and allow his 20-year-old teammate to get to what would’ve been a second consecutive half-century in his first three innings as an India player and also gain confidence out of hitting the winning runs.
As it panned out, however, the ball from opposition counterpart Rovman Powell was the most perfect half-volley and Hardik Pandya decided to belt it straight down the ground for a maximum to finish off the game.
While the captain wore a grin and shook hands with Powell, who was kind enough to congratulate him and Varma for the Indian win, fans on Twitter were left in absolute shock how could Hardik deny the promising Varma his milestone opportunity?
They immediately recalled legendary MS Dhoni’s rare moment of expression of emotions on the field when he decided to dead bat a delivery with a solitary run needed in the 2014 T20 World Cup semifinal versus South Africa and let the great Virat Kohli, who had aced the run-chase up until that point, finish off the proceedings.
Some even reminisced of Sanju Samson negating a deliberate wide-ball attempt from Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) during IPL 2023 to ensure that, with just three more runs required, young Rajasthan Royals (RR) opener Yashasvi Jaiswal still had a chance to reach his maiden IPL century from 94 not out.
Here is how fans reacted:
Everyone is not Sanju who thinks for his teammate before himself..Love you my captain.. #HardikPandya #SanjuSamson pic.twitter.com/GsvdPCqh9k
— only samson matters (@amanyadav6266) August 8, 2023
Most hated 6 by #HardikPandya #INDvsWI #TilakVarma #BCCI pic.twitter.com/U7WVQrN4xC
— Lexicopedia (@lexicopedia1) August 8, 2023
Ashwin was Right when he said that at present, the teammates in Indian Cricket Team are just like colleagues…. in competition to one another. #HardikPandya today proved that point.#WIvsIND #TilakVarma pic.twitter.com/WNy9bDUAIk
— Bhuvanesh Sharma (@bhuvanhere) August 8, 2023
This man was built different 🩵#HardikPandya #TilakVarma #WIvsIND #Tilak pic.twitter.com/3id0Wsq3wt
— Rupesh Gitte (@GitteRupesh) August 8, 2023
#INDvsWI #WIvsIND
you idolize MS Dhoni, and still you did not care to give strike to young Tilak Varma despite being the captain? When he was batting at 49* ?
You can never be like him.#HardikPandya pic.twitter.com/wHJSB0hcyD— 👌👑🌟🌶️ (@superking1816) August 8, 2023
learn something from virat kohli👍 #Hardikpandya #TilakVarma #WIvsIND@hardikpandya7pic.twitter.com/mohh9REldN
— SV. (@IconicVirat_82) August 8, 2023
There are certain things which can’t be taught. #SanjuSamson #HardikPandya #selfish #pandyaselfish pic.twitter.com/63ufvvNrNM
— Achyuth Vimal (@achyuthvimal) August 8, 2023
Hardik Pandya
What is this man 😨First came earlier than Sanju Samson for an easy chase
Then , snatched a deserving chance of 50 from a young talent who is saving u from losing captaincy#TilakVarma u are a champ 🙌#INDvswi #HardikPandya pic.twitter.com/n0v4muR2h1— Rajat Sehgal (@RajatSehgal94) August 8, 2023
Earlier I used to back him as a captain, but he definitely isn’t captain material.. #HardikPandya pic.twitter.com/Dd1A0oCNu2
— ꋬꋊꀘ꒤ꋪ. (@ylt19) August 9, 2023
One way to treat the episode, however, would be to admire the culture created and sustained within the current Indian set-up, where milestones aren’t the be-all and end-all for the team and perhaps Hardik let it be known indirectly to a young rising player like Varma and the rest.
