"He is third from bottom in terms of strike rate" - Aakash Chopra on Hardik Pandya's indifferent recent T20I numbers as a finisher

Aakash Chopra has pointed out that Hardik Pandya has been far from his explosive best as a lower-middle-order batter in T20I cricket lately.

The West Indies stunned India 3-2 in the recent five-match T20I series between the two sides. Hardik managed only 77 runs in his four innings at a below-par average of 25.67 and an underwhelming strike rate of 110.00.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra highlighted Hardik Pandya's confused captaincy against the Windies. He also pointed out the usually destructive batter's waning T20I returns in the last year, observing:

"If we see his stats as a batter also in T20Is from 15th August (2022) to 15th August (2023), he has played 25 matches, among those who have batted at No. 4 or lower, he is third from bottom in terms of strike rate. He has not done a lot of hitting there as well. So that is also a problem."

The former Indian opener added that Hardik has rarely scored at better than a run-a-ball in his last 10 T20I innings. He elaborated:

"The striking power has been seen slightly less. If you see his international numbers for the last little while, you will find that he hasn't done any significant hitting. In the last 10 T20Is, you see only two or three instances where the runs are more than the balls, which is not a good story."

Hardik has aggregated only 188 runs at a below-par average of 23.50 and an indifferent strike rate of 110.58 in his last 10 T20I innings. He has reached the 30-run mark just once in this period and has struck only seven sixes off the 170 deliveries he has faced.

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"2023 was an okay-okay IPL" - Aakash Chopra on Hardik Pandya

Hardik Pandya had a middling IPL 2023 with the bat. [P/C: iplt20.com]

Aakash Chopra highlighted that Hardik Pandya's IPL 2023 numbers weren't special either. He stated:

"The 2022 IPL was brilliant, where he hit very well, the strike rate was high, the runs and wickets were also more. 2023 was an okay-okay IPL. The runs were also fewer, he picked up only three wickets and the strike rate wasn't anything special either."

The renowned commentator added:

"His bowling economy was also 9.12 and the batting average was also okay-okay. He scored only two half-centuries whereas he had four fifties the year before that."

Hardik aggregated 346 runs at an average of 31.45 and a strike rate of 136.75 in 15 innings in IPL 2023. He accounted for only three dismissals at an average of 76.00 and had the worst economy rate among all Gujarat Titans bowlers who bowled at least 25 overs.