‘Was natural as a fielder, but I want to be exceptional’ - Hardik Pandya aims to lift fielding standards ahead of T20 World Cup 2022

The T20 World Cup 2022 is underway with the First-Round fixtures and the competition has already seen some fantastic matches with certain underdogs handing an ‘upset’ to the heavyweights. Team India played their first warm-up match against hosts and defending champions Australia handing the latter a loss in a thriller of a contest.

Exceptional performances from Mohammed Shami, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, and vice-captain KL Rahul helped the side pull off a thriller in the practice match on Monday, October 17. In the midst of the match, star all-rounder Hardik Pandya known for hard hitting, looked slightly rusty and was caught off guard while playing the Australian pacers, especially Mitchell Starc.

Hardik Pandya to compete at the highest level

Despite enduring a below par performance against the Aussies, Pandya’s profile speaks volumes for what he is capable of for the side. Now, the player has expressed his desire to push himself and wants to be known as an ‘exceptional’ fielder.

"God has been kind to me, my fitness has gone up. I am able to spend a lot of time on my fielding with our coach (T Dillip). I was always natural as a fielder, but I want to be exceptional. Now, I am able to spend some time on my skills and get those difficult catches. My goal this year is to grab a catch that could go down as one of my best ever," Pandya said in a video posted by BCCI.

As the matches come thick and fast, fitness levels become a concern for the players as there have been occasions where they feel lethargic. Furthermore, this eventually leads to lower levels of concentration and fatigue on the pitch that leads to hampering chances in vital moments in the match.

However, players like Pandya and former skipper Virat Kohli are the epitome of insane fitness. India play New Zealand in the second and final warm-up match on Wednesday, October 19.