We didn’t expect a T20-like knock from Hardik Pandya to reach maiden century, says father

Virat Kohli hailed Hardik Pandya as the biggest positive from the 3-0 win against Sri Lanka. Pandya, who won the Man of the Match in the Pallekele Test, slammed his maiden international hundred at that venue and later claimed the all-important wicket of Angelo Mathews. Pandya’s father Himanshu, 69, said that he was surprised to see his son score Test century so early in his career. Pandya had played 29 First-Class innings before this and had crossed the 50-mark only 6 times. ALSO READ: What Hardik Pandya learned from MS Dhoni

This was only his third Test. He had already impressed with a fifty on his debut innings. “I didn’t expect this century so early in his career, but I am confident about his good show as he is improving day by day,” the senior Pandya told mid-day. Pandya’s 96-ball 108, propelled India’s score to 487 and batting at No.8, he smacked 8 fours and 7 sixes. He hammered 26 off a Malinda Pushapkumara-over, which is the highest runs plundered by an Indian in an over in Tests. It’s also the fifth joint-third highest in this format.“I was enjoying the match with the family members on TV, but we did not expect him to score such a T20-like knock to reach his century. The way he played after his 50 was superb. We enjoyed his century,” added the proud father, whose elder son Krunal is also a talented cricketer and earns crores from IPL and recently played in the tri-series for India A in South Africa. He was a part of the victorious India A side and earlier this year, his heroics guided Mumbai Indians (MI) to their record third IPL title.

The ICC Champions Trophy final was more of a one-sided contest with Pakistan dominating. However, Hardik’s 43-ball 76 had changed the equation at one point. Just when it seemed that Hardik was doing the impossible of taking the game away from the opposition, he fell to a shambolic run out.

“If Hardik would only have played like he did today against Pakistan in that Champions Trophy final, we would easily beaten them and won the tournament,” Himanshu recalled the painful defeat on the ominous June day at London.