Hardik Pandya's Knock Cited to Highlight Gautam Gambhir's 'No Real Sense of Calculation' After India's Super 8 Loss vs South Africa

Ind vs SA: India allrounder Hardik Pandya walked into bat at No. 7, which was in itself a little strange. By the time, he walked into bat the asking rate was too high. He looked scratchy for his 18 off 17 balls. So, what was the plan? Was Hardik gunning for a win or was India just looking to get their Net Run Rate in order? Former India cricketer Irfan Pathan has reacted to Hardik's knock. Pathan reckoned Hardik's knock has ‘no real sense of calculation’. Pathan indirectly blamed coach Gautam Gambhir following India's loss. 

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‘No real sense of calculation’

“I felt that when Shivam Dube and Hardik were batting, Hardik at that time had two options: either play cautiously and see it through till the end, or show complete aggression from the start. When he came in and got out, he was playing at a strike rate of around 100. It felt like he got stuck in between. Because so many wickets had fallen, four or five wickets, you have to make a decision about your approach," Pathan said on his YouTube channel.

He added: “Either you go all out, and if you go all out, but if Hardik’s innings ends at a strike rate of 100, then it does not make sense. Or you decide to keep playing and try to improve the run rate, and from there, if the team wins the game that would be great. But there was no improvement in the run rate, and there was no real sense of calculation. It seemed like he just saw the ball and hit it."

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India Need to Win Two-Out-Of-Two

Now that India has lost against South Africa, they would now have to win both their remaining games - one against Zimbabwe and then against West Indies. India take on Zimbabwe on February 26.