It is nearly 24 hours since the end of the first T20 game between India and South Africa. The match was played at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi in front of a capacity crowd. South Africa won the game by 7 wickets with 5 balls to spare as David Miller and Rassie Van Der Dussen showed their class with the bat. The Indian team which had won 12 T20 games in a row had their streak broken as the visitors take a 1-0 lead ahead of the 2nd game on Sunday.
The story as it happened –
There has been a huge controversy blowing up in the Indian cricket circles and in the social media. The controversy is around Hardik Pandya and Dinesh Karthik which happened in the 2nd last ball of the 20th over. Hardik Pandya managed to put a yorker from Nortje to deep mid wicket. Much to the shock and surprise of many, Pandya declined a single to let Karthik take strike for the last ball. The crowd wasn’t happy with this as they had to wait till the dying stages of the Indian stages to watch DK bat. The crowd booed Pandya for his refusal to take a single.
Ashish Nehra has his say on the issue –
Ashish Nehra who became the 1st Indian coach to win the IPL, was with Pandya during the entire course of the IPL. Pandya made his India debut, when Nehra was in his last legs for the men in blue. The GT coach was critical about the move and took a dig at his GT captain in a sly tone. Nehra said “He should have taken a single before the last ball. It was Dinesh Karthik at the other end, not me. Hardik Pandya is someone who can play all kinds of roles. We have seen him performing in Tests and ODIs as well. With his batting ability, he can perhaps bat at any position. He was captain for Gujarat and contributed with the ball as well. It was a different role”
Twitter doesn’t see the funny side –
The entire controversy has seen Hardik Pandya get called out by the Indian fans. Some Indian fans have taken it as a slight and seen this as an insult to Dinesh Karthik, while some others were critical in their assessment of the Indian all-rounder. Pandya scored a quick fire 29 with the bat but gave away 18 runs in his only over that he bowled. The Indian fans and Pandya will hope for better return and hopefully more batting for DK in the next game which is to be played on Sunday at Cuttack.