‘Hardik Pandya Doesn’t Need To Be Fed At This Stage, Knows What To Do’ Says Australian Pace Great Glenn McGrath

Hardik Pandya has garnered enough experience to know how to get back his bowling rhythm rather than being sermonised by various coaches, Australian pace legend Glenn McGrath said on Wednesday. (More Cricket News)

Pandya has just been named the captain of the Indian T20 team for a two-match series in Ireland but there have been talks about whether he is the same sharp fast-medium bowler that he used to be before his back surgery in 2019.

“Hardik has got so much experience now. He knows what he needs to do. He doesn't need to be told by coaches what he needs to do. He is a quality all-rounder, quality hitter,” McGrath, who is Director of Coaching at the famed MRF Pace Foundation, told reporters.

“Some games go well, others don't as well. Overall, he knows what he needs to do,” he added. McGrath, whose immaculate length outside the off-stump was a stuff of legends spoke about the art of fast bowling, something that a youngster like Umran Malik might find very handy.

“A lot of coaches think that bowling quick is the important thing. to just run and bowl as quick as you can is not the be all and end all.. Holding your action, bowling good areas, building pressure, taking wickets,” he said.

McGrath also felt that captaincy will be a good learning experience for young Rishabh Pant. “It is about experience as well. He is an entertainer. He has to work out a way which is best for him. The culture is set at the top. you have to have a strong leader, who can lead from the front. It is a good learning experience as well,” he added.

About veteran seamer Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who has been doing well in the ongoing T20 series, McGrath said, “Bhuvi is a quality bowler. He gets movement, very good control and deceptive pace. The experience he has will stand him in good stead.”

On English bowling ace James Anderson, he said the swing exponent (with 650 Test wickets) had already set the benchmark too high for anyone to surpass him. “For a fast bowler to take 600 wickets, it is a remarkable effort. It shows his longevity. He is a swing bowler.

“That is an art form that is rare these days...good luck to him, He has 600 (650 test wickets). He has already set the benchmark too high for anyone to get near. It is up to him to decide how long he goes on,” the legendary Aussie paceman added.

McGrath also spoke about how tragic the year 2022 has been for Australian cricket with the death of Shane Warne, Rod Marsh and Andrew Symonds.

“It has been a tragic year for Australian cricket. It started with my mentor Rod Marsh and then Shane (Warne). Marsh was my mentor and a great friend. Obviously, I was very close with Warne. Now Symonds. Hopefully, it will be the last.

“If anything it puts life in perspective...we have to get out there and enjoy life. A lot of people in Australia are getting their hearts checked out now," he said referring to Warne's sudden demise.

On MRF Pace Foundation products doing well, McGrath said, "I'm really pleased with how they have performed especially Mukesh Chaudhry.

“Even the others such as Khaleel Ahmed and Prasidh Krishna have performed quite well on a grand stage such as the IPL. A total of 19 of our boys have played in IPL thus far and that fills me with pride.”