Twitterverse clearly unhappy with reckless shot selection of Hardik Pandya

When the first Test of the ongoing India’s tour of South Africa had concluded, young all-rounder Hardik Pandya saw himself escalate up the ranks in the eyes of the fans and the cricket pundits. However, ever since the game, the Baroda all-rounder has only been a shadow of what he promised he could be during the Cape Town Test. Pandya has not only looked lackluster with the ball, but his batting has been pathetic too.

Well, in all fairness, it is known that the entire Indian batting lineup has been struggling, save Virat Kohli. The tracks in South Africa have been hostile and the one being used for the ongoing Test in the Bullring is the toughest of the lot. But this can certainly not be taken as an excuse for reckless and relentless shot selection. Hardik Pandya was seen getting out for a needless shot in the first innings of the ongoing Test on day one.

That would have been out even on the Indian pitches, many mocked. Truth be told, the disappointment of the fans is quite justified. Earlier in the innings, Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara had done all the hard work to see off the storm of the new moving ball. But the reckless shots of Hardik Pandya and Parthiv Patel nullified all the tough job Kohli and Pujara had done.

Coming to the Pandya’s dismissal, it was a short delivery way outside off stump line by Andile Phehlukwayo. Pandya tried to tuck that over the third man region and ended up getting a thick top edge. Quinton de Kock completed the catch to send Pandya packing for a duck. Interestingly, in the previous Test, he was seen throwing his wicket away in a similar fashion.

In the other innings, his careless running between the wickets had cost him his wicket. All of this is certainly not helping his reputation as the next big thing in Indian cricket. The fans were absolutely unimpressed to see Pandya losing his charm in the series.

Here is how the Twitterati reacted to the dismissal of Hardik Pandya:

Bhuvneshwar Kumar is the all-rounder India think Hardik Pandya is. #SAvIND

*All conditions applied.

— Nikhil ? (@CricCrazyNIKS) January 24, 2018

34: Balls faced by Bhuvi Kumar in this innings so far.

34: Balls faced by KL Rahul, Parthiv Patel and Hardik Pandya in this innings. #SAvInd

— Chetan Narula (@chetannarula) January 24, 2018

I think hardik doesn't know something called Match Awareness in test is Important. What a stupid shot from Hardik pandya. Absolutely Rubbish from him. @vikrantgupta73 @samiprajguru @RaunakRK #INDvsSA #SAvsIND

— Naveen Surana (@Surana9Naveen) January 24, 2018

This is outrageous from @hardikpandya7 once twice and now 3 in 3. This is completely crazy!! How do you understand this!

— Boria Majumdar (@BoriaMajumdar) January 24, 2018

Batting allrounder from the IPL, Hardik Pandya.#SAvsIND

— Gaurav Sethi (@BoredCricket) January 24, 2018

Hardik Pandya has the talent to be such a good test cricketer, it's just that he lacks the Cricket IQ to make use of that talent.

Bhuvi on the other hand is a limited batsman, but understand the value of his wicket.

Pandya has to learn that.

— Clive (@vanillawallah) January 24, 2018

Hardik Pandya definitely needs to work on his game awareness. Bhuvneshwar wanted to cross while the ball was in the air, and Pandya just stood there. #SAvIND

— Saurabh Somani (@saurabh_42) January 24, 2018

The shot that Hardik Pandya played makes all the hardwork done by Kohli and Pujara go in vain. #SAvIND

— Prajakta Bhawsar (@ViratsFangirl18) January 24, 2018

Hardik Pandya – Way too much intent for the series.

— Nikhil ? (@CricCrazyNIKS) January 24, 2018

With this shot the Hardik Pandya scheme in Test cricket must be put to a stop. Either play with 6 proper batsmen or 5 proper bowlers.

— Saurabh Malhotra (@MalhotraSaurabh) January 24, 2018

Whoaaaaa….Hardik Pandya??? You have indeed proved that your first Test 90 was indeed a fluke with close in fielders on fast bouncy pitches , one freak once get that kind of score once in a while??

— one tip one hand_ (@OneTipOneHand_) January 24, 2018

After this shot I will commit jauhar if Hardik Pandya's test career is not over??.. ridiculous #INDvSA

— Sourav Roy (@roy183sourav) January 24, 2018

Hardik Pandya is an "Allrounder"
Pic. 1 – On Paper
Pic. 2 – On field#INDvSA #SAvIND pic.twitter.com/7gdMQo54M7

— Anuradha (@AnuRadha9082) January 24, 2018

Hardik Pandya what's the need of such shots ??

— Mr. STARK (@twt921debo) January 24, 2018

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