IND vs SL 2021: Twitter slams Manish Pandey for missing out on yet another opportunity
Manish Pandey has been one of India's biggest disappointment stories in recent times. He has been in and around the Indian team for quite some time but has failed to cement his spot in the set-up. It can be argued that Manish Pandey has not been given enough opportunities but that is largely because other players have outperformed him.
When the Indian team for the 2nd ODI was announced, many questioned Pandey's selection over Sanju Samson. However, it was later revealed that Samson was injured. Manish Pandey was given the opportunity to bat at number four ahead of Suryakumar Yadav. India were in a comfortable situation and Pandey had enough time to settle in.
He took his time to get in, but what followed attracted a lot of criticism from Team India's fans. After scoring 26 runs and being well set, Pandey threw away his wicket in an attempt to play a big shot. The required run-rate was very low and there was absolutely no need to try something special.
Twitter users slammed Manish Pandey for once again giving away a good start. Here are some of the reactions:
Final opportunity for Manish Pandey to prove his worth
Competition in the current Indian team is at its peak and Manish Pandey's constant failures are not helping his cause. He has got an opportunity in this series as many of the main players are in England. A failure against Sri Lanka could be the end of the road for Pandey.
In the first ODI against the Islanders, all Indian batsmen except Pandey made their presence felt. Prithvi Shaw provided a great start, Ishan Kishan scored a fifty on debut, while Shikhar Dhawan stayed unbeaten until the very end. Suryakumar Yadav, who faced just 20 balls, managed to make an impressive 31.
India won the first ODI by seven wickets in just 36.4 overs after chasing down the target of 263 with ease. If someone has to make way for Sanju Samson in the next game, it will most likely be Manish Pandey. The second ODI is scheduled to take place on July 20. India have a 1-0 lead and will look to continue their good form.