"When you don't try to do too much, you allow your natural ability to come out" - Sanjay Bangar lauds Hardik Pandya's spell

Sanjay Bangar has lauded Hardik Pandya for letting his natural ability come to the fore during his spell in the second ODI between India and New Zealand.

Hardik registered figures of 2/16 in six overs as the Men in Blue bowled out the Black Caps for 108 in Raipur on Saturday, January 21. The hosts then chased down the target with eight wickets and almost 30 overs to spare to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.

During a discussion on Star Sports, Bangar was asked about his thoughts on Hardik Pandya not trying to bowl fast and settling in instead, to which he responded:

"When you don't try to do too much, you allow your natural ability to come out. The best part about all the bowlers today was that they were probably expecting return catches."

The former Indian batting coach was particularly appreciative of the all-rounder's caught-and-bowled dismissal of Devon Conway, explaining:

"The way Hardik Pandya held that catch, it seemed he was expecting it till the last moment because the length was further up, the ball was getting stuck on the pitch slightly, he had eyes on the ball and the way he reacted with his left hand, it is not his strong side."

Bangar also praised Hardik for deceiving Mitchell Santner with a slower delivery, elaborating:

"Then when he came in for his second spell, to bowl the first ball as a wider slower one. When you figure out the intent with which the batters are looking to bat, you are one step ahead of the batters. He showed that by doing it."

Hardik took a spectacular return catch to get rid of Conway, reducing New Zealand to 15/4 in the 10th over. He later returned to bowl Santner off an inside edge to break the spin-bowling all-rounder's 47-run seventh-wicket partnership with Glenn Phillips.

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"He was running in an extremely relaxed way" - Sanjay Bangar on Hardik Pandya

Hardik Pandya was extremely expensive in the first ODI against New Zealand. [P/C: BCCI]

Bangar concluded by pointing out that the lack of pressure probably helped Hardik's bowling, saying:

"He looked better, there was rhythm as well and there was not much pressure also, so he was running in an extremely relaxed way. When you run within yourself and don't try to bowl too fast right from your run-up, you find an ideal rhythm."

Hardik was introduced into the attack in the 10th over when the Kiwis were 15/3. Mohammed Shami picked up two of the first three wickets to fall and eventually finished with figures of 3/18 in six overs.