Hardik Pandya’s T20I bowling might just be more valuable than his batting | Cricket News

Last week, Hardik Pandya celebrated his ninth year as an Indian international between the second and third T20Is of the ongoing England series.As the wiry Mumbai Indians scouting product transformed himself to become the cornerstone of India’s white-ball setups, Pandya’s all-rounder tag has also seen a redefinition since halfway through this journey.
Pandya achieved a remarkable milestone during the previous T20I in Rajkot that one may not immediately associate with the 31-year-old. With four overs and two wickets in the game, Pandya finished one delivery short of 300 overs in the format after surpassing Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s 298.5 T20I overs, the previous best among Indians. Only 14 bowlers from Full-Member nations have bowled more deliveries in T20Is.
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Player
Mat
Overs
Wkts
BBI
Econ
SR

Arshdeep Singh
62
214.4
98
4/9
8.27
13.1

Yuzvendra Chahal
80
294
96
6/25
8.19
18.3

Hardik Pandya
112
299.5
94
4/16
8.17
19.1

Bhuvneshwar Kumar
87
298.3
90
5/4
6.96
19.9

Jasprit Bumrah
70
251.3
89
3/7
6.27
16.9

It may not be a standout factor at the outset. However, it is indeed significant given Pandya’s frequent run-ins with injuries, a dodgy back, and the sheer expectations from him with the bat in the middle-order.
On a broader context, Pandya has bowled as many deliveries as the legendary Lasith Malinga in T20Is and produced nearly as many wickets as the Sri Lankan slingman had in his time (107).

One of only three Indian players to have played at least 100 T20Is, Pandya’s 94 scalps rank only behind the sensational Arshdeep Singh and Yuzvendra Chahal for the Men in Blue.

Hardik Pandya
Span
Inns
Econ
Wickets
Bowl Ave
SR
Dot%
Boundary%

Powerplay
2016-2019
10
10.5
0
–
–
26.3
23.61

2021-2025
38
8.31
10
44.9
32.4
48.4
20.06

Middle Overs
2016-2019
38
8.22
26
29.11
21.2
36.2
15.57

2021-2025
51
7.95
33
26.03
19.6
37.9
15.27

Death Overs
2016-2019
14
7.24
12
7.75
6.4
38.9
14.28

2021-2025
19
7.95
13
12.84
9.6
33.3
12.69

A circle of progress between two tantalising 20th overs at the T20 World Cup, in 2016 and 2024, best sums up Pandya’s rise as a dependable bowler. A one-run win over Bangladesh in Bengaluru in his 14th T20I was more of MS Dhoni’s inimitable presence behind the stumps, with the gloves and the brains. When India pulled off a Barbados he over South Africa last year, Pandya not only eked out a win in the final over with the ball but also snapped the country’s ICC title drought.Story continues below this ad
Splitting the nine years in half, witnesses Pandya’s rise as a dependable seamer who has also recently taken over as India’s second paceman in the XI with an added reliance on spin at home.
Over 85 per cent (80) of his career T20I wickets have resulted in wins, while only about 65 per cent (1148) of his 1750 runs have fashioned victories. While Pandya’s bowling has been pinned largely to the middle-overs, he has grown to ace the role in the last four years.

Middleovers since 2021 (pacers)
Innings
Wickets
SR
Eco

Hardik Pandya (IND)
51
33
19.6
7.95

Haris Rauf (PAK)
56
27
19.1
8.13

Craig Young (IRE)
29
27
12.1
7.64

Luke Jongwe (ZIM)
43
25
17.3
7.83

Romario Shepherd (WI)
43
25
18.4
8.96

Mustafizur Rahman (BAN)
58
24
22.5
6.66

Between 2016 and 2019 (no game in 2020 due to Covid), Pandya picked up 26 wickets between overs 7-16, striking every 21.2 deliveries while conceding 8.22 runs per over. The stocks have improved to 33 wickets since 2021, with a 19.6 SR and 7.95 economy.
His Maturing prowess also saw him tasked more often with the new ball, manning Powerplay overs alongside Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh at the death, since the last few seasons.Story continues below this ad
In 10 matches where he bowled in the Powerplay in the first four years of his career, Pandya could not collect a single wicket while leaking 10.5 rpo. He has since taken the responsibility in the first-six in 38 games, producing 10 wickets while holding a respectable 8.31 in the slam-bang age. Pandya has also reaped more wickets at the death (overs 17-20) in the second half of his running career, with a significant reduction in boundary-conceding deliveries (Bnd % of just 12.69).
Pandya’s repertoire with hit-the-deck deliveries and off-cutters ranks him as the most effective seamer in the middle-overs in all T20Is since 2021. His 33 wickets are well ahead of the likes of Haris Rauf (27), Mustafizur Rahman (24) and Anrich Nortje (20) to name a few.
With his refined bowling profile, Pandya has deftly refurbished his T20I utilities, the products of which will remain integral to India’s T20 world title defence at home in 13 months.