On the occasion of India s historic 900th One-Day International (ODI), captain MS Dhoni decided to give chance to Hardik Pandya to make his debut. Pandya becomes India s 215th player to receive ODI cap. Also, he received his cap from none other than India s greatest all rounder Kapil Dev, who made his Test debut on the same day in 1978. Pandya made his India debut earlier this year in Australia during the Twenty20 International (T20I) series. So far, his major achievement as a cricketer is that final over against Bangladesh in the ICC World T20 2016, where Pandya won the match for India by conceding only nine runs from it and taking two crucial wickets.
As per India s skipper Dhoni, pacers will be more effective than spinners and that was the reason behind him opting to field first after winning the toss against New Zealand. Apart from Pandya, other two pacers are Umesh Yadav and Jasprit Bumrah, while two spinners are Akshar Patel and Amit Mishra. Since opener Shikhar Dhawan is injured and not the part of this series, so Ajinkya Rahane will open with Rohit Sharma. From New Zealand, they have rested their two key pacers, Trent Boult and Matt Henry, while Tim Southee is back.
.@hardikpandya7 receives his ODI cap from former India captain @therealkapildev @Paytm ODI Trophy #INDvNZ pic.twitter.com/oaYbb416b8
BCCI (@BCCI) October 16, 2016
Well, Umesh was expected to open the bowling but it was quite surprising when Pandya came to bowl his first ever over in ODIs in the second over of the match. After conceding single in his first ball, Pandya leaked three boundaries, two of them came off edges, but he made his comeback in style by sending Martin Guptill back to the pavilion, inducing his outside edge to Rohit Sharma at second slip.
With that wicket, Pandya, who was already trending on social media for making his debut, attracted more tweets. He later dismissed Corey Anderson in the 11th over.
Word is that Hardik Pandya might have got a big thumbs up from his India ‘A’ coach………
Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) October 16, 2016
Debut match very first over wicket taken by HARDIK PANDYA
yashwanth (@ursYash) October 16, 2016
Hardik Pandya strikes in his very first over! he gets the wicket of Martin Guptill. Excellent comeback from Pandya. #INDvNZ #DilSeIndian
#JanasenaFollower (@PrasadOnly1PSPK) October 16, 2016
Never thought he could do it but he proved me wrong. Well done Hardik Pandya #indvsnz
Intolerant CA (@canikhilesh) October 16, 2016
Not too long now but interesting to see if Dhoni trusts Pandya enough to be a 10 overs bowler. Else can play Pandya and Jayant Yadav, both
Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) October 16, 2016
So Hardik Pandya is trusted to bowl ten overs on a pitch that SMG calls a “road”. Must see it as an opportunity to prove his bowling skills
Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) October 16, 2016
Hardik Pandya:2 Overs 22 Runs, Proud Of You My Bwoy.Don’t Worry About That Guptill’s Wicket, Mistakes Do Happen In Life. 😉#INDvNZ #IndvsNZ
Sir Ishant Sharma (@SirIshantSharma) October 16, 2016
Even Umesh Yadav and Hardik Pandya are bowling well….imagine the destruction that will be done by Boult
Akshat KHILADI 2.0 (@AkshatArsh) October 16, 2016
Debut Match & In Very 1st Over Took Wkt Of NZ Best Batsman Martin Guptill.
Why Is HARDIK PANDYA Behaving As Deadly As #SirJadeja?#INDvsNZ
Sir Ravindra Jadeja (@SirJadejaaaa) October 16, 2016
Wishing All The Best To My Ardent Student Hardik Pandya. Let’s Hope He Reverse Swings… The Match Like I Do. 😉#INDvNZ #INDvsNZ
Sir Ishant Sharma (@SirIshantSharma) October 16, 2016