India all-rounder Hardik Pandya shared his thoughts on the current Indian team leadership and how they have made an accommodating environment for the players.
Pandya said that Rahul Dravid and Rohit Sharma have increased freedom, security, and communication for the players and are trying to move away from the process that was followed for the last five-six years.
“Ro (Rohit Sharma) gives you a lot of flexibility and freedom which is his strength throughout his captaincy stint whenever I have played with him,” Hardik said after the third T20I against West Indies.
Hardik, who is the vice-captain of the team for the West Indies T20Is, has been seen constantly guiding the bowlers and involving himself in tactical stuff alongside Rohit. Hardik has also been in excellent form with bat and ball in recent times.
Hardik explained that the players have been feeling very comfortable with the way the captain and the coach have dealt with every individual.
“Here as well, a lot of credit goes to him and Rahul Dravid for the way they have got the team together and making sure a lot of positive mindset comes in and players are feeling secure; they are not looking over their shoulder; making sure they are getting ample chances; they are getting told as well if they are not playing, and that is something which is commendable.”
The all-rounder also revealed that the team had a chat if they should continue with the aggressive approach or change their method considering the slow surface at Warner Park. The captain does not want to continue something that was being done for the last five-six years.
“About the approach, credit again goes to Ro and the coach. We were all having a chat about how we should go about the slow wicket, do we still want to continue this style of play, and he gave us the freedom, saying that you know what, forget about the results, we are trying something new, we are going to make mistakes, we are going to learn from it, but what we have been doing for five-six years, we are going to go away from that, and make sure that we try everything and all options that are available, and when it comes to the World Cup, we’ll know how to play.”
Such an approach by the Men in Blue has also put opposition bowlers under pressure as they think that India will come hard at them even if they have lost some early wickets.
“The way we are putting bowlers under pressure, even they are thinking that this Indian team, even if it is 10 for 3, will not look to play out the 20 overs,” Hardik said. “It is thinking that how can we reach 190 even from here. That attitude is making this team look more dangerous, and we will try to continue that.”
Rohit has advocated the newer approach of the team multiple times right from the white-ball leg in England. He also said before the start of the West Indies series that India was not playing conservative cricket in the past.
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