Hardik Pandya reveals the reason behind handing the last over to Axar Patel

India had a cracker of an affair at the Wankhede Stadium to start the year with and Hardik Pandya led from the very front as he stabilized India’s batting unit after an early hit where they lost three of their top-order batters while also making some important decisions on the field, helping India to secure a thrilling win in the opening encounter of the series.

In a surprising move, he introduced Axar Patel to the mix in the final over when Chamika Karunaratne was expecting a bit of a pace to go his way that could have made life easier. Pandya was happy to see these decisions work out and was also amazed at his team’s youngsters getting the job done.

In the post-match presser, Pandya said he has now gotten used to being addressed as the skipper, and revealed details of his struggles on the field, “It was just cramps, I am alright. It was a rough night, I was unwell and I had my fluids down. If I am smiling, everything is fine.”

He also spilled the important beans of why it was Axar ahead of him to be handed over the responsibility of bowling that crucial final over, adding, “We might lose a game here and there but it's alright. It's the young guys who got us back into the game.”

He eventually concluded by talking about Shivam Mavi’s brilliant debut spell, adding, “I have seen him bowling well in the IPL and I just told him to simply bowl. I told him, 'I am backing you. Even if you get hit, it's fine.' If the same situation is there, I will take the new ball. I have been bowling in the nets with the new ball since I returned to the IPL. I have learnt how to swing it back.”