Sunil Gavaskar On India’s Stars: “Can Definitely Form A Pair Like Yuvraj Singh, MS Dhoni” On Sunday, Hardik Pandya and Rishabh Pant put on a 133-run fifth-wicket stand to help India win the third and final ODI against England.
India on Sunday defeated England by five wickets in the third and deciding ODI to clinch the series 2-1. Chasing a target of 260 runs at Old Trafford in Manchester, India were tottering at 72 for 4 at one stage in the game. This is when Hardik Pandya and Rishabh Pant stitch a 133-run partnership for the fifth wicket to help India win the game. While Hardik shone with a 71-run knock off 55 balls, Pant stayed not out till the end with an unbeaten century — 125 off 113 balls.
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Sunil Gavaskar believes that both Hardik and Pant have the potential to form a pair like Yuvraj Singh and MS Dhoni did for India.
“Yes, Hardik Pandya and Rishabh Pant can certainly form a pair like Yuvraj Singh and (MS) Dhoni,” Gavaskar said on Sports Tak.
Hardik played an important role in India’s bowling on Sunday as well. Before scoring a fifty in the second innings, the player returned figures of 4/24 in the first innings, his best in ODI cricket.
Rohit Sharma won the toss and chose to bowl first in the match. Indian bowlers bowled out England for 259 runs, with Jos Buttler scoring the most runs for England with a 60-run knock. Apart from Hardik, Yuzvendra Chahal shone in the innings, taking 3/60.
In response, India’s top-order fail to get the team off to a good start, scoring only 35 runs between Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, and Virat Kohli. However, Pant and Pandya came to India’s rescue, and the result was that the visitors won the ODI series.
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