"Can you imagine 3 of us playing for the same team" - Dwayne Bravo shares pictures of meet-up with Hardik Pandya and Kieron Pollard
Team India all-rounder Hardik Pandya caught up with legendary former West Indies players Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollard ahead of the five-match T20I series in the Caribbean.
The trio could arguably be considered among the greatest all-rounders in the shortest format, a point that Bravo mentioned while sharing the picture of their meet-up on social media.
Pandya has professed his love for the Caribbean culture on numerous occasions before. He was not part of the two-match Test series that kick-started the tour but featured in the three-match ODI rubber, leading India across the last two matches as a stand-in captain. India won the series by a 2-1 margin following a hiccup in the second ODI.
Bravo shared a picture of the trio with the caption:
"2 former Test all rounders and @kieron.pollard55 in this pic 🙈🙈😂😂🤣🤣 @hardikpandya93 nice to catch up 🆙 #SirChampion #LLORD #PRINCE Can you imagine 3 of us playing for the same team! 🙆🏾♂️🙈👌🏿🔥🔥🔥"
Hardik Pandya and Kieron Pollard go a long way back due to their shared association with the Mumbai Indians (MI). The duo played a huge hand in the franchise's quadruple-title triumph from 2015 to 2020. While Pollard retired from the IPL after the 2022 edition and Pandya switched to the Gujarat Titans (GT), they still share a very strong bond.
Pollard was recently seen leading the MI New York in the inaugural edition of the Major League Cricket (MLC) in the United States of America. He was not part of the playoffs due to injury but added another trophy to his cabinet after the team defeated the Seattle Orcas in the final.
Dwayne Bravo, meanwhile, also marked his presence in the tournament, representing the Texas Super Kings (TSK). He was subjected to a video call from Pollard after MI New York won the title. The duo are now tied with 16 titles apiece in T20 cricket.
Ahead of the ODI series, Bravo and his son were present at the Trinidad airport to welcome the Indian team. The all-rounder was seen having a conversation with several players, including skipper Rohit Sharma.
"We don’t ask for luxury but we need some basic necessities taken care of" - Hardik Pandya laments the lack of facilities in the Caribbean
The ace all-rounder led from the front in the series decider at the Brian Lara Stadium in Tarouba, Trinidad with a half-century. The Men in Blue won the contest by a mammoth 200-run margin and will face the West Indies at the same venue on Thursday, August 3 in the T20I series opener.
During the post-match presentation, Hardik Pandya expressed his disappointment over the lack of basic facilities during the tour.
"This was one of the nicest grounds we have played. Things can be better when we come to West Indies next time. From travelling to managing a lot of things. Last year also, some hiccups happened. I think it's time for West Indies Cricket to take note of it and make sure that when a team travels... We don’t ask for luxury but we need some basic necessities taken care of. Other than that, really enjoyed coming here and playing some good cricket," he said.
Team India feature a couple of new faces in Yashasvi Jaiswal and Tilak Varma in their squad while West Indies have recalled Shai Hope and Oshane Thomas into the squad.
Will a team featuring Hardik Pandya, Kieron Pollard, and Dwayne Bravo at the peak of their prowess be near-invincible? Let us know what you think.