India can field two more teams and win any competition in the world, says Hardik Pandya

Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya was brimming with confidence as the team sealed victory in the three-match one-day international (ODI) series. The Blues clinched a mouth-watering victory against the Lankan Lions in the second ODI to clinch the series at 2-0. Ahead of the start of the third and final ODI, Pandya said that India could field two more teams and still win any competition in the world. His statement is not unfounded as India does have one of the strongest squads in the world. The squad depth the nation has is incredible. A lot of the credit must go to the domestic competitions the country organizes on an annual basis like the Indian Premier League (IPL), the Ranji Trophy, and the Vijay Hazare trophy.

Pandya, who plays for the Mumbai Indians (MI) franchise in the IPL, is amongst the senior members of the second-string Indian side that was selected for the limited-overs series in Sri Lanka. He praised the incredible pool of talent available at the selectors’ disposal. After the heartbreaking loss against New Zealand in the final of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC), a dominating series win against Sri Lanka was exactly what the doctor ordered. The confidence amongst the Indian rank seems to be at a high again.

“Our roles are very clear, even in the main team. With the kind of talent the Indian team possesses right now, I think we can pick two more teams and win any competition in the world,” the all-rounder said ahead of the start of the third and final ODI against Sri Lanka.

LEARNING FROM MISTAKES

The MI player also spoke about his recent performances on the field. He has not been in a particularly impressive run of form this year so far. He acknowledged that fact and said that he was learning from his mistakes and evolving as a cricketer.

“I understand that in life you have to keep growing. As a cricketer and a person, you need to keep growing. My process is just growing as a human being. You tend to make mistakes, you fail, but I like to celebrate my failures. I like to celebrate my bad days, it is a part of the sport and it teaches you a lot of things. I like to remember it,” the all-rounder said.

GAME TIME

Pandya also spoke about his fitness where he said that being fit was not the issue. The MI player said that he was 100% fit, but what he needed was more game time in order for him to get better at his game.

“I am a hundred percent (fit), it’s just about game time. The more I play, the more I’ll get better,” Pandya concluded.

India managed to bag a hard-fought victory against the Lankan Lions in the second ODI of the series to clinch the series. It seemed at one point that the hosts were on course for a comfortable victory, but the Indian tail-enders had other plans.

Deepak Chahar’s impressive knock of 69 runs, supported by Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s cameo of 19 earned India an unprecedented victory.