Really thankful for him to share that experience with me – Hardik Pandya grateful to Virat Kohli for his million-dollar advice

India put up a clinical display against West Indies in the ODI series decider as they secured a 200-run win at Tarouba, issuing a strong statement ahead of the upcoming World Cup. It was an all-round display that saw them posting 351 with the bat while their bowlers were quick to snuff out the Caribbean resistance.

Shubman Gill and Ishan Kishan got off to a couple of feisty starts while Sanju Samson’s middle-order blitzkrieg allowed India to build a platform for a grandstand finish. Hardik Pandya took up the finishing honours for Team India as he took his time in the center before finally going ballistic that sent the Caribbean bowlers scrambling for shelter amidst raining boundaries.

In the post-match presentation, Hardik Pandya was vocal about the optics of the game while also divulging the details of an important conversation that he had with Virat Kohli before coming out to bat.

Talking about the victory, Pandya said, “It’s a special win. To be honest, I look forward to these kinds of games as a captain where there is something on the line. This was more than an international game. We knew what was at stake and there would be a lot of disappointment if we lost. The boys showed great character.”

He also shed some light on two of India’s elite players, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma being rested, adding, “They enjoyed it as well, in pressure situations it’s important to enjoy it as well. Virat and Rohit are integral parts of the team. But it was important to rest them so that people like Ruturaj Gaikwad could get a chance. It was about giving opportunities to youngsters. I took it deep intentionally, wanting to have some time out in the middle.”

Highlighting the million-dollar advice that Virat Kohli shared with him, Hardik said, “Had a great chat with Virat before the game, he wanted me to spend some time out in the middle and get used to the 50-over format. Really thankful for him to share that experience with me.”

He concluded by talking about the match and how the dynamics kept on shifting towards India, stating, “Once you hit one ball and get into rhythm things are very different. The ball was doing just a bit. Scoring 350 was always crucial. When you have a total like that, batters chase the ball and if luck is one your side, batters will nick it. Couple of really good catches by Gill. West Indies woke up very late and there was that partnership that took it to the 34th over. The game was kind of over in the powerplay itself. This was one of the nicest grounds we have played. Things can be better when we come to the West Indies next time. Things like travel, hopefully the West Indies cricket board can take note and ensure that there are no hiccups. We don’t ask for luxury but we need some basic necessities taken care of.”