No easy game: India captain Hardik Pandya says losing a game is alright, key is to get feel of difficult situations

PTI

Mumbai, January 4

India’s T20I captain Hardik Pandya said he will not get perturbed if his side loses a match here and there, adding that the most important thing is to be in “difficult situations”, which will help the team prepare for bigger challenges.

India defeated Sri Lanka in the opening T20I by just two runs, with unbeaten knocks from Deepak Hooda (41) and Axar Patel (31) giving the hosts a decent target to defend after they were in trouble at 94/5.

I was pretty clear in my mind that if we lose early wickets we have to build a partnership and when you are batting lower down the order at No. 6, for a situation like that, being a cricketer, you have to be ready for that. A collapse can happen at any time. Deepak Hooda

My main agenda is to attack first in the powerplay as I always go for an lbw or bowled… whether I get hit for boundaries or not, my mindset is to get wickets. Shivam Mavi

“We might lose a game here and there but it’s alright. I want to put this team in difficult situations because it will help us in big games,” said Pandya.

The finisher

Player of the Match Hooda said he understands the difficulties of batting at No. 6 in T20Is and has conditioned himself for any sort of batting collapse. “I was pretty clear in my mind that if we lose early wickets we have to build a partnership and when you are batting lower down the order at No. 6, for a situation like that, being a cricketer, you have to be ready for that. A collapse can happen at any time,” Hooda said.

“(But) I don’t think it was a collapse in the true sense as we were in a good position. Yes, we lost one or two extra wickets but I think that is the role of the No. 6 and No. 7 batters,” he added.

Hooda said he had to respect the situation and play accordingly. “The kind of wicket you get you have to play accordingly. You have to give a good total to the team and that was going through my mind. Being a No. 6 batter, you have to finish the game,” he said.

Early wickets

After making a successful India debut, pacer Shivam Mavi said he will continue to attack the batters in

the powerplay to take early wickets. The 24-year-old took two wickets in the powerplay to dismiss dangerous opener Pathum Nissanka and Dhananjaya de Silva. Mavi had match figures of 4/22.

Following India’s win, the team’s bowling coach, Paras Mhambrey, asked Mavi what went through his mind when the skipper handed the new ball to him.

“My main agenda is to attack first in the powerplay as I always go for an lbw or bowled… whether I get hit for boundaries or not, my mindset is to get wickets,” said Mavi.

“After the Under-19 World Cup (in 2018) when I played in the IPL, I suffered injuries. I decided to work hard on my fitness and it paid me back in this match,” he added.

“It is difficult to get a chance to play in the first match of a series. Also, it is my first tour. I had been waiting for this moment for the last six years. But I believed in myself and kept working hard,” he added. — PTI

Samson ruled out of second T20I

India batter Sanju Samson has been ruled out of the second T20I against Sri Lanka due to a knee injury. Samson hurt his knee while fielding in the series opener.