India vs West Indies: Pandya aims to gradually increase bowling workload, says he's a 'turtle right now not rabbit'

India all-rounder Hardik Pandya has set his sights on gradually increasing his bowling workload in the build-up to the ICC World Cup at home later this year, saying that he is “a turtle, and not a rabbit”.

Pandya, who unofficially has taken over T20I leadership from India skipper Rohit Sharma and is his deputy in ODIs, has not been bowling his full quota of overs either in the international arena or in the Indian Premier League (IPL), with his bowling duties limited by serious back and shoulder problems.

Pandya has bowled a little over 10 overs in the first two ODIs against the West Indies, and sent down 6.4 overs in the second ODI, in which he filled on for the rested Rohit as the skipper, going wicketless for 38 runs.

“My body is fine. I have to bowl more overs and get my workload up for the World Cup. I’m a turtle right now not the rabbit and hoping everything goes right as the World Cup comes on,” Pandya said after the second ODI, which the West Indians won by six wickets to level the three-match series 1-1.

Read | Don’t believe Hardik Pandya cannot cope with demands of Test cricket: Kapil Dev

India opted to rest Rohit and star batter Virat Kohli for the second one-dayer at the Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados. Though the Men in Blue got off to a solid start with a 90-run opening stand between Ishan Kishan and Shubman Gill, they would end up suffering a dramatic batting collapse to get bundled out for 181.

Windies skipper Shai Hope then led from the front with an unbeaten 63 and was well-supported by Keacy Carty’s 48 not out as they chased the target down with six wickets and 80 deliveries to spare.

But Pandya said going into the third and final game on Tuesday, with the series tied at 1-1, would be more challenging and exciting.

“To be honest, you want to be going 1-1 to the third game as it’ll be more challenging and exciting. They will be tested, we will be tested now that the series stands 1-1. The next game will be exciting for the viewers as well as the players,” he said.

None of the India middle-order batters could cope with pace, bounce and turn at the Kensington Oval pitch with Romario Shepherd (3/37) and Gudakesh Motie (3/36) tormenting the visitors.

“We didn’t bat the way we were supposed to. The wicket was better than it was in the first game. Everyone barring Shubman (Gill) hit fielders and got out. Disappointing but many things to learn,” said Pandya, who himself got out for 7 off 14 balls.

India lost five wickets for 23 runs in just 7.2 overs after the opening stand of 90 between Kishan (55 off 55 balls) and Gill (34 off 49 balls), which hurt the team’s cause after West Indies skipper Hope opted to bowl.

“The way our openers batted, especially Ishan, struck it well and is good for India. Shardul (Thakur) got us back in with his bowling. Hope and Carty batted well and got them through.”

West Indies captain Hope said his team produced a “complete performance”.

“It was a complete performance. Very satisfied, the aim was to get back to the series. We gotta win one more and need to come back strongly.

“We gotta put in the effort and today we displayed the right attitude, need to replicate that in all disciplines. We want to tick the boxes and get the right result in the final game,” he said.

Hope, who was adjudged player of the match, was also satisfied with his own performance.

“I’m happy as long as my contributions lead to the win. When things are difficult, you gotta find ways to score quickly. So you gotta run hard, we got twos which helped.”

With inputs from PTI