Hardik Pandya, India’s dynamic all-rounder and vice-captain, shared his thoughts on the highly awaited 2023 Asia Cup. He emphasized how this six-team championship will truly test the mettle and identity of the team under the leadership of Rohit Sharma. These challenges will serve as valuable insights as India prepares for the crucial Men’s ODI World Cup.
India is set to kickstart their journey in the 2023 Asia Cup against Pakistan on September 2nd. Following that, they’ll be facing Nepal on September 4th. The exciting part is that both of India’s Group A matches will take place at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy.
“A lot of emotions are attached by fans. For us, it is about playing a good team, playing a match against a very good side who has done very well in the recent past. Couple of finals they’ve played and the tension between us is always there.”
“So for me, we try to keep the outside noise outside, and we focus on how we can play good cricket. At the end of the day, we are cricketers. We can’t get too emotional about it because then certain decisions can be reckless, which I don’t believe in.”
“But, at the same point of time, it’s a mega event. It’s an event which I’ve seen how it checks your character, checks your personality, and at the same point in time, you can see in how deep waters you can swim. So for me, all these factors excite me a lot and yeah, I can’t wait,” Hardik Pandya said to Star Sports.
Furthermore, Pandya gave insights into his strategy for One Day Internationals (ODIs), underlining the significance of being versatile in the context of the 50-over game. He also dug into the particulars of preparing ready for critical matches under this format, particularly emphasizing the mental side of preparation.
“It’s just that you have a little more time than what you think. I believe in T20 as well, you have more time than you think, but at the same time, ODI is a much longer game. It is a game where you have to adapt, you have to get used to the conditions because the game is going on for 50 overs, and to play, to win against a good side, you have to play a good 100 overs of cricket,” Pandya further stated.
