The revival artist always gets back up and counterpunches, even when it seems like he has been knocked out. With a dramatic flourish, Hardik Pandya’s jaws broke the gum as the cameras focused on his face. His stroke, which was a ramp off a pacer over the wicketkeeper’s head without even glancing at the ball or its final destination, perfectly captured his carefree composure.
Similar to the back-heel in football or the “tweener” in tennis, no-look shots in cricket are regarded with a sort of magical affection. The thrill of a no-look ramp is much greater. A batsman’s eyes will automatically follow the ball until it reaches its final destination when they hit a shot from just under the eyeline, with the ball nearly kissing the chest.
Hardik, however, disobeyed human instincts and nature. He kept his eye on the ball until it landed on his chest. He stretched his upper body to manufacture space for his hands to help the ball beyond the ‘keeper’s grasp, like he was playfully slapping a pal at a reunion.
And that’s when he stopped watching: his eyes remained firmly fixated on the ground the entire process, as if they were gathering fragments of the shock that had engulfed the stadium.
Taskin Ahmed, the bowler, became perplexed and placed his hands on his hips, as if he had witnessed a paranormal event. Hardik continued to gnaw at the gum. Nonetheless, he would have been ecstatic.
Range behind the stumps
The ball was somewhat less than 132 clicks away. It nearly pitched into Taskin’s half. There had plenty time to refine his response. Because of the left-armer’s angle from over the stumps, Hardik had rocketed Mustafizur Rahman over third man a few balls earlier. This time, the ball flew squarer.
Perhaps overshadowed by his midwicket aggression or his clean hitting, down-the-wicket range, is his subtle ability to control the bowler’s tempo. Hardik, however, possesses a wide range of behind-the-stumps strokes. He can uppercut, ramp, dab and steer, late cut and slash, glide, and glance through the leg-side.
His motions and technique are perfect for pyrotechnics. He has flexible hands that allow him to make last-minute tweaks, a lithe waist, a supple body that is small at the hips so he can bend and twist like a gymnast, and most all, the bravery to come up with photos of such absurd proposals.
Sunday’s 16-ball 39 not out in Gwalior was a little film on his amazing canvas of shot-making. Leg-spinner Rishad Hossain had been bludgeoned by Hardik just before the no-look ramp, through extra-cover, off the back foot, with such force that he nearly slid in the recoil. He had earlier used a textbook high elbow to lofted and drive Rahman beautifully through further cover. And he completed the chase with a signature midwicket clump.
