XtraTime Web Desk: Indian cricket team’s star all-rounder Hardik Pandya doesn’t want to blame the luck as England won the toss and sent India to bat first and bowled the visitors out on just 107 runs. On day 3 in reply England reached 357 for 6 before the umpires stopped the game due to poor light. They have a lead of 250 runs with 2 days still left in the game. As per Hardik he doesn’t believe in luck too much as it’s the hard work that always helps a team to win the game. On Sunday they again will work hard and try hard and will see what happens later.
“I don’t believe in luck too much. Whatever happens is down to hard work. And this is a game, they won the toss and put us into bat. If we had won the toss, we could have had them in the same position. But it is not. Luck doesn’t come into this, just a way of saying things. We will keep working hard and try hard and see what happens then,” said Pandya after post day 3 press-conference.
The Indian team management gave a chance to chinaman Kuldeep Yadav as they thought that later in the game the pitch will assist the spinners as the harsh summer had promised a more spin-friendly surface. But due to heavy rain for last couple of days that didn’t happen. Chris Woakes (120 batting) and Jonny Bairstow (93) added 189 rapidly for the sixth wicket and hammered almost all the Indian bowlers.
“Nothing happened. That was the problem. As a bowling unit we tried, but all of a sudden the ball stopped swinging. And Woakes and Bairstow took the game away.
“It happens in Tests. You get five wickets or four wickets quickly and then have a partnership. With our batting line-up also we have done it many times. It’s part of the game,” added Pandya.
England were 107/5 before the Bairstow and Woakes, back after an injury layoff, dominated the Indian bowling after lunch on Day 3.
“Any team would have got the same score we got, you know. Playing in that condition, there was a little drizzle, the wicket also got a little wet. Conditions were completely different.
“When we bowled today, it was the proper wicket. The first day it was different. Today what we got was the actual wicket we expected on the first day. Because of the weather the wicket changed and it was doing a lot.”