'There is no replacement for him when he is fully fit' - Twitter in awe of Hardik Pandya's all-round show against England in 1st T20I

India thumped England by 50 runs in the first of the three-match T20I series on Thursday (7 July). Hardik Pandya was the star for the visitors thanks to his all-round show. He smashed 51 runs with the bat first to play a crucial role in propelling India to 198 and then returned with the ball to pick up a four-wicket haul. The all-rounder deservedly won the Player of the Match award for his excellent show.

Hardik came out to bat after India lost their third wicket with 89 runs on the board and made sure he stuck around till the fag end of the innings even as the team lost wickets at regular intervals. He hit six fours and a six during his stay in the middle and also stitched important partnerships with Suryakumar Yadav and Axar Patel.

It has been a memorable comeback to the Indian team for the 28-year-old. He was out of the team since the T20 World Cup last year due to injury and fitness concerns. But he worked on it during his time away from the game and featured directly in the Indian Premier League (IPL) to lead debutants Gujarat Titans to glory. After proving his fitness in the tournament, the selectors recalled him for the South Africa series and Hardik Pandya hasn’t looked back since then.

I felt I needed a break, says Hardik Pandya

Speaking after the match, Hardik noted how important it was to take a break for him and stated that he is in an extremely happy place at the moment. Hardik Pandya also became the first Indian player to score a fifty and pick four wickets in a T20 International. “The last time I played a T20 in England, I think I took 4 wickets and scored some 30. So I kind of knew I was the first Indian to score fifty and take 4 wickets. I am enjoying my cricket right now.

“For me, a lot of time goes into the preparation to get my body ready. The kind of break I took before this run of play I want to capitalize on the opportunities. I felt I needed that break. It is about giving your 100% and when you don’t do that, there is no point playing. So I needed that break and now I am happy to be in this place right now,” he said. Meanwhile, Twitter was also delighted with Hardik’s performance and lauded him for the way he took India to victory with his all-round show.

Here’s how Twitter reacted: