Jasprit Bumrah not being there makes a big difference: Hardik Pandya on India's defeat in 1st T20I

India all-rounder Hardik Pandya feels Jasprit Bumrah's absence played a big role in the team's defeat to Australia in the first T20I at Mohali. Bumrah remains sidelined despite being a part of the squad, having just returned from an injury.

TN Sports Desk

Updated Sep 21, 2022, 09:47 IST

Hardik Pandya attended press conference after India's defeat to Australia in 1st T20I | Video Grab

Team India's defeat in the first T20I against Australia on Tuesday was an eye-opener for many. Even skipper Rohit Sharma came down heavily on the bowling unit for their poor show. As fans and experts continue to evaluate the team's performance, Hardik Pandya highlighted Jasprit Bumrah's absence as a big reason behind the below-par show.

Barring Jasprit Bumrah, India had all the first-choice players back in the team. The likes of Harshal Patel and Umesh Yadav partnered with Bhuvneshwar Kumar in the pace bowling unit. Neither of the three managed to keep Australia's scoring-rate under check, going over 10 runs per over in the match.

Hardik, speaking to reporters after the first T20I, stressed that things could've been different if Bumrah was a part of the team.

"Jasprit not being there obviously makes a big difference. He is coming back after an injury, it is important for him to get enough time to kind of come back and maybe not put a lot of pressure on himself," said Hardik told the reporters after the match.

"We all know what he brings to the table and how important he is for us. There will be concerns here and there (about bowling) which is fine. We got to trust our boys. These are the best 15 in the country and that is why they are there in the squad," Hardik said.

Bumrah was selected in the squad for the 3-match T20I series but couldn't be a part of the series opener, having recently returned from injury. He is expected to feature in at least one of the remaining two matches.

Hardik, who scored a 30-ball 71 in the match, said that he doesn't look too much into his performances, be it on good days or bad.

"I have gotten a lot of success recently, but for me, what is more important is that even on my good days how can I get better? The kind of career graph I have had, I don't make a big deal about my performances, whether success or failure," he said.

"I had a good game today. They could target me in the next game and I need to be one step ahead," Pandya concluded.

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