3 Players India missed the most in the first T20I

3. Hardik Pandya

India sorely missed Hardik Pandya due to injury

India missed Hardik Pandya the most at Brisbane due to injury. He is the only fast bowling all-rounder for India in the present team. Hardik is the ideal T20 player for India on overseas tours. Pandya can clock 140 kmph and can bowl with the new ball which would give Kohli the much-needed flexibility in rotating his bowling resources. Though at times expensive, he manages to give crucial breakthroughs in the middle overs.

The all-rounder is a clean hitter of the ball and packs a punch in his shots. At the Gabba, he could have been more effective against Adam Zampa. With 24 needed off 12 balls, Hardik Pandya might have finished off India’s chase successfully. In the end, it was left to Dinesh Karthik to do it all by himself and he for once couldn’t absorb the pressure and come up trumps.

The presence of Hardik Pandya in the playing XI would give India the much-needed balance in their team composition. A fit Hardik Pandya in place of Khaleel Ahmed could have made all the difference to India’s fortunes at Brisbane.