Irfan Pathan (l) and Hardik Pandya
Credit: PTI Photo
India slumped to a massive 51-run defeat against South Africa in the second T20I in Mullanpur on Thursday. On a day where India were chasing 214 to win, all-rounder Hardik Pandya struggled, scoring 20 runs off 23 balls.
Pandya, who had scored a half-century with a strike rate in excess of 200 in the first encounter, came in a crunch situation when India need to up the scoring rate. Instead, the knock made India's win almost unachievable.
Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan criticised the Pandya for his knock, which included only a single six, noting that the performance dip was a result of change in pitch. He said the power hitter looked at ease on a better batting surface, but appeared to struggle when faced with a track that demanded better footwork and adaptation.
"It’s amazing how the game works. Just a day ago, on a different pitch, Hardik looked solid. But on a surface that offered something for the bowlers, his stand-and-deliver style didn’t click, because when the pitch lacks pace or bounce, you’ve got to move your feet," Pathan wrote on X.
Earlier, vice-captain Shubman Gill was dismissed for a first ball duck, which came after having scored just four runs in the opening match. Pathan said that his form was a concern leading into the T20 World Cup that is only two months away.
"Shubman Gill’s T20i form is a big worry ahead of the T20 World Cup. Hopefully he finds his touch soon, otherwise it could turn into a real catch-22 situation for Team India," Pathan wrote.
Further, he also question captain Suryakumar Yadav's form. The middle order batter has averaged around 15 in 2025 and has not registered a single half century.
Pathan also pointed out to the lack of discipline while bowling, where the Men in Blue bowled 13 full tosses and conceded 23 extras.
"Shubman Gill & Surya Kumar’s form? 13 full tosses today while bowling. How to negate that? These are the question team India needs to answer going froward. Hopefully they answer them with positive impact," Pathan added.