In the 2023 World Cup on home soil, much was expected of Hardik Pandya and KL Rahul. While Pandya was injured and out of the cup at a critical juncture, Rahul played a painful innings in the final and is still blamed by many for India’s loss.
Did the two of them think about that fateful night in November 2023 as they were chasing the Australian total down? Virat Kohli, who played absolutely brilliantly for his 84, had just been dismissed and the match, truth be told, was still in the balance. A wicket then, and it might have gotten a little tight for India. Adam Zampa still had an over left, and Nathan Ellis wasn’t doing badly either.
That was when Pandya and Rahul got together. Yes, Pandya played a few dot balls to start with, but he has always had the confidence to play the big shot when needed. Had he been outearly trying to go for a six, all hell would have broken loose. But then, that’s the difference between confidence and over-confidence. Pandya knew he could take on the spinners, and allowed himself to choose the deliveries to go after. Two sixes and a four, and all of a sudden,the match was done. By the time he was out with 6 runs to win, he had helped avenge 2023.
Pandya in white-ball cricket is India’s clutch player, and the Champions Trophy final could well be one of the most important matches of his career. Each time the odds were stacked against him in the past, he managed to come up with a telling performance. Be it in England with a five-wicket haul, in South Africa with a fantastic batting effort, in Australia with back-to-back match-winning performances or the T20 World Cup final last year, he has proved his worth as a genuine all-rounder for India. In what is a make-or-break game on Sunday, his ability to soak in the pressure will come in handy for India.
Rahul, on the other hand, was the subject of much abuse for his World Cup final innings. With Kohli out, he was the senior batter. In fact, even when Kohli was batting, it was Rahulwho started taking a few risks to ensure that the asking rate never went beyond 6.5. Every now and then, he was able to play the release shot, and it was evident the innings meant much to him. He was battling his own demons and had to make sure that 2023 wasn’t repeated.
It is always challenging to fight oneself, to win against one’s own scarring. That’s what Rahul was trying to do, and the truth is that he came through very well. The team management that has backed him will also feel vindicated and, in every sense, the semi-final has helped answer a few questions.
Rohit Sharma is now on the cusp of winning back-to-back ICC Trophies, and Pandya andRahul are proof of how sport can be a great leveller. November 2023 is finally history. In fact, for every November 19, 2023, Indian fans will have a March 4, 2025 to talk about. That’s the beauty of sport, and that’s why we love it so much.
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