"Don't see him bat anywhere up" - Wasim Jaffer on Hardik Pandya's batting position in ODIs
Wasim Jaffer recently reckoned that Team India all-rounder Hardik Pandya's role will be to bat at No.6 in ODIs on the road to the ICC ODI World Cup 2023.
Jaffer opined that Pandya may not get a chance to bat higher up the order, given that the likes of KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer are expected to return to the side in the near future.
Speaking about Pandya's position in the Indian batting order, Wasim Jaffer told ESPNcricinfo:
"I think he is going to bat at No.6. I don't see him bat anywhere up, since we know that Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul are going to come in. So, No.6 is his place. If he is batting at the death, we all know what he can do."
Jaffer also lauded Hardik Pandya for his impressive knock in the third ODI against the West Indies. Praising the swashbuckler for his batting exploits in the fixture, he added:
"He took his time early on when he needed to because he didn't have a good score in the last couple of games, so, understandable. But he batted through the innings, which was very good. We all know that once he gets going, he bats right till the end. Good for Indian cricket that Hardik is slowly and steadily coming into his own."
Hardik roared back to form with a spectacular half-century in the third ODI on Tuesday, August 1. The stand-in captain remained unbeaten on 70 off just 52 balls, helping the Men in Blue register an imposing 351-run total.
"He needs to obviously up the speed" - Wasim Jaffer on Mukesh Kumar
Right-arm pacer Mukesh Kumar made his ODI debut in the three-match series against the West Indies. Wasim Jaffer seemed quite impressed with the bowler's performances in his maiden series.
He, however, suggested that Kumar could become more formidable if he works on increasing his pace.
"He (Mukesh Kumar) has got that wicket-taking ability," Jaffer added. "He bowls that good length, swings the ball, and he uses the creases. So, a lot of positives. He needs to obviously up the speed, probably a yard or two, then he will become even more dangerous."
INDIA WIN! 🇮🇳
An emphatic win for India over the West Indies in the third and final ODI 🔥
They win the series 2-1 👏
📸 BCCI
#WIvIND #CricketTwitter pic.twitter.com/BY32qPZwGT
Mukesh Kumar picked up three wickets in the deciding encounter against West Indies and was instrumental in India bundling out the hosts for just 151 to secure a huge 200-run victory.