Hardik Pandya talks his new bowling skill after whitewash over New Zealand

Hardik Pandya broke the first wicket for India in Indore (Associated Press)

In preparation to the World Cup 2023, India first whitewashed Sri Lanka and then did the same hammering with the former No.1 ranked ODI team New Zealand at home. With the batting coming good and bowling doing mightily well, the Men in Blue are turning to be the red-hot favourite for the upcoming silverware. 

However, it's not batting or bowling that is helping India, but the all-round balance players like Hardik Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja is what's turning the Men in Blue a formidable troop.

In the final ODI against the Kiwis, Pandya was the given the new-ball duty in absence of Mohammed Shami and Mohammed Siraj. Not only, the all-rounder scalped three wickets in Indore but also smacked a fifty in the last overs. 

Talking about his fitness, Pandya talked about his bowling robustness in the post-match interaction with the broadcasters in Indore.

"I've always enjoyed bowling with the new ball. Getting satisfaction from swinging the ball both ways - which I started recently - helps," the 28-year-old spoke about his new skillset.

"When I came back I had to work on my alignment, which helped in swing and now I'm able to use the seam. Earlier my action would mean the ball would go down leg and I couldn't use the seam. Now I'm much straighter and can swing it away too."

"I'm feeling wonderful, it was planned (the workload). I feel good and fully prepared to play the sport," Pandya spoke about any injury wories.

The Indian vice-captain also joked about the playing conditions that are at offered Indore's Holkar Stadium, which is taunted as a batting paradise and has nothing for the bowlers.

"This pitch has some pace so it will be great if they leave some juice or grass the next time. It might still be a 350-360 pitch but with something," he stated.

Pandya will now be wearing the captain's hat in the three-match T20I series against the Blackcaps. The series will begin on January 27 with the first T20I at Ranchi, before the caravan travels Lucknow and Ahmedabad for the further matches.

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