‘Kahaan aim kar rahe ho?’ Gambhir asks Hardik in training:All-rounder’s massive hits stun India coach and Suryakumar Yadav

Hardik Pandya showed red-hot form as he smashed big sixes in India’s training session before the first T20I against New Zealand on 21 January. The India vs New Zealand 1st T20I is set to be played at the VCA (Vidarbha Cricket Association) stadium in Jamtha and it starts at 7:00 PM IST. The five T20Is against New Zealand are set to be a crucial one as it is India’s last assignment before the T20 World Cup that starts on 7 February. India will go into the tournament as the defending champions, having won in 2024.
Gautam Gambhir, Suryakumar Yadav stunned by Hardik Pandya’s big hits in training
Hardik was seen having a light-hearted exchange with Gambhir in training, in a video shared by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on social media. Hardik asked the people in the stands to move away as he was getting ready for training. “Kahaan aim kar rahe ho?” Gambhir asked him to which Hardik responded, “First tier.” The all-rounder then followed it up with some big hits, which left Gambhir as well as captain Suryakumar Yadav, stunned. “Second tier pe maar diya,” he said. The exchange left Gambhir in splits. The other Team India cricketers, including Jasprit Bumrah, Rinku Singh and Abhishek Sharma, among others, were also grinding it out in training as they prepared for the first T20I against New Zealand. Also read: Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli to suffer 57% pay-cut?: Salary of legendary duo could be reduced to ₹3 crore, BCCI planning central contract rejig Ishan Kishan to bat at number three, confirms Suryakumar Yadav Ahead of the first T20I, Suryakumar confirmed that Ishan Kishan will be batting at number three, in Tilak Varma’s absence. Shreyas Iyer was picked as Tilak’s replacement, but Ishan got the nod because he is also part of the T20 World Cup squad. “Ishan Kishan will play at the number three position. He is part of the T20 World Cup team and has been doing well in domestic cricket. So I feel he deserves to play ahead. I think Ishan is our best bet at number 3,” he said. Ishan’s last T20I appearance came against Australia in 2023 and he will look to make an impact upon his comeback to the national team. The wicketkeeper-batter had a memorable domestic campaign, leading Jharkhand to their maiden Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.