This was the Hardik Pandya that India had always hoped for. He is here now

Then came that horrifying period when he was stretchered off the field in 2018. With a back surgery in the offing, the question had to be asked whether he would ever be his old self again. Importantly, would he be able to come back and bowl with intensity and zip.

It was only in February this year that some light was shed on this. In the Indian Premier League, Pandya was the complete package. He was captain, floating batsman and enforcer with the ball for Gujarat Titans. At times it appeared that Pandya was bowling himself extra at the top of the innings to prove his fitness. But, it was not at the cost of the team. Match by match, his pace increased, so much so that he could back himself to take the new ball. As batsman, Pandya could open, he could consolidate and when called to do so, revert to older times and tonk the ball to finish matches.

This was the Pandya India had hoped would materialise, but hadn’t really seen with any great consistency in the past. This was the Pandya who stepped out to the middle against Pakistan.

Although he did not take the new ball, Pandya was bowled in -side the power play overs. At no stage did Pandya look like a part time bowler. This was a guy who could give you four overs day in and day out. Bending his back to get extra carry on a Dubai surface that provided a touch of variable bounce, Pandya had the Pakistan batsmen hopping.

What’s more, he was right in the game even when not bowling. Rohit Sharma was captain, of course, but often it was Pandya who was setting fields and assisting bowlers with suggestions on how to plan wickets.

When he came back to bowl a second spell, Pandya showed that fitness wasn’t an issue, even in the scorching Dubai heat. With wickets in succession that set Pakistan back, Pandya ended with figures of 4-0-25-3.

But he wasn’t done there. India’s familiar struggles with the top three continued in pursuit of 148 and at 89/4 in 14.2 overs, it appeared that Pakistan would squeeze out a victory. But, Pandya was unfazed, and with Ravindra Jadeja providing excellent batting cover, India took the game deep.

So much so that people were still on the edge of their seats when the final over began. With Jadeja going for glory and having his stumps splayed, Dinesh Karthik came in and got a single. Then came the Pandya special. Mohammad Nawaz speared in a short, quickish dart but Pandya was waiting. Head still, base stable with legs planted, the long levers came out and he launched the ball into the stands. On the day, you couldn’t have asked for more from Pandya.