T20 World Cup: Hardik Pandya wants to play all matches says Mhambrey

Sydney: Citing the balance and experience which Hardik Pandya brings to the Indian team, bowling coach Paras Mhambrey quashed the possibility of him or any other player in the side being rested from Thursday’s Super 12 match against the Netherlands at the Sydney Cricket Ground, saying that the fast-bowling all-rounder wants to play all matches in the tournament.
Pandya had been one of the main architects in India’s thrilling four-wicket victory over Pakistan in their T20 World Cup opening match at a packed Melbourne Cricket Ground, picking 3/30 in four overs of pace and making 40 off 37 balls while sharing a match-winning stand of 113 off 77 deliveries with Virat Kohli (82 not out off 53 balls) for the fifth wicket in a chase of 160.
Though by the end of the innings Pandya had some cramps, there were speculations that he could be rested from India’s second Group 2 match against the Netherlands. But Mhambrey brushed all of those talks aside.
“The strategy is that Hardik wants to play all matches, which is an important thing. We are not looking at resting anybody and that sort of thinking is not there for any player. Hardik is a very important player for us. He adds to the balance, bowls and bats as well. Other than that, the attitude which he has on the ground is of note, just like he played a crucial innings in the last match,” he said in the pre-match press conference.
Also Read Shoaib Akhtar ‘wants’ Virat Kohli to retire from T20 Internationals With India in deep trouble at 31/4 in chasing 160 against Pakistan, Kohli and Pandya took their time before unleashing a stunning fightback to get victory on the last ball of the chase. Mhambrey went on to explain about the importance of Pandya’s role in propelling Kohli to spearhead the successful chase under immense pressure.
“Yes, Virat had finished the game for us. But there’s a stage, where you need an experienced player, who can recognise a moment like if we take this game till the end, pressure will obviously shift on them. To acknowledge that, we do need the experience. So, in the performance of Virat, you can give lots of credit to Hardik because when he went inside, the conditions were difficult and were 31 for the loss of four wickets, which was not an easy phase.