Twitter Reactions: Hardik Pandya starts off ODI career with a brilliant spell

Indian skipper MS Dhoni won the toss in Dharamshala and decided to bowl first since the wicket has traditionally helped the seamers and there was the due factor that will come into play in the second half. He started off with Umesh Yadav and his partner from the other end was all-rounder Hardik Pandya who was also making his ODI debut in the game being handed over the cap earlier by legendary Indian all-rounder Kapil Dev.

Pandya was spot on with his length, bowling full and at a decent pace. He gave the ball enough to swing and the New Zealand opener Martin Guptill didn’t look comfortable to start with. Guptill got a couple of boundary via edges but was squared by one that was pitched perfectly and just beat the outside edge of his bat.

He was bowling well and definitely deserved a wicket in that over and he got it when Guptill edged it to Rohit Sharma at second slip. Dhoni stuck with the duo and when Hardik ran in to bowl the 7th over Kiwi all-rounder Corey Anderson had just arrived at the crease. Anderson tried to hit it over mid-off but Umesh Yadav took a stunning catch to stun almost everyone with his effort.

That was not all, Dhoni got in Jasprit Bumrah and changed ends for Pandya who was bowling very well and troubling every New Zealand batsman. He found yet another success as Luke Ronchi who was just 3 balls old at the crease and was yet to open his account played an uppish shot and Umesh, this time, had a much easier catch to grab which he did with absolute pleasure.

Pandya in the first 7 overs of his international career had picked 3 wickets for 31 runs and those were three important wickets.

Here is how Twitter appreciated his first spell in ODI cricket:

Hardik Pandya Is 15th Indian To Get 3 Wkts On Debut In ODIs.
None Got 4.

Come-on Hardik, May The Fourth Be With You. 😉#INDvNZ #INDvsNZ

— Sir Ravindra Jadeja (@SirJadejaaaa) October 16, 2016

Hardik Pandya bowling like opposition is Bangladesh and they need 3 runs in 3 balls. ?

— ️Silly Point (@FarziCricketer) October 16, 2016

Hardik Pandya after picking 3 wickets on debut @CricCrazyNIKS @azkhawaja1 pic.twitter.com/pWp19At09j

— Vaibhavbansal (@vaibhav79988716) October 16, 2016

Hardik Pandya's best figures in 17 List-A matches before today – 2 for 47. He has already taken 3 wkts in his first ODI today. #IndvsNZ

— Bharath Seervi (@SeerviBharath) October 16, 2016

About time someone inherited Agarkar's claim to fame : He may go for a few but he's a wicket taking bowler. #HardikPandya #indvsnz

— Gaurav Sethi (@BoredCricket) October 16, 2016

Amazing transition for @hardikpandya7 as a bowler. bowling at 140k , superb seam position n most importantly pitching it up. WOW ! #IndvsNZ

— Deep Dasgupta (@DeepDasgupta7) October 16, 2016

Great #catch from @y_umesh to see the back of @coreyanderson78 off the bowling of @hardikpandya7 #INDvNZ #indvsnz @BCCI pic.twitter.com/DCreeMVjdE

— Sarath Chandran (@ImSarathC) October 16, 2016

Today #HardikPandya got one "ODI cap" from Kapil Dev.
In return he brought three "Black Caps" for his guru Kapil Dev.#indvsnz

— Sameer Ranjan Bakshi (@BekaarNews) October 16, 2016

Hardik Pandya just looks like Guy Pearce in Momento.

— ങ്ക്ശ്_സ് (@nkz_s) October 16, 2016

First wicket for Hardik Pandya in ODIs, gets rid of Martin Guptill after conceding 13 runs in the over #INDvNZ

— Cricbuzz (@cricbuzz) October 16, 2016

Hardik Pandya first Over in ODI:

One
Four
Four
beaten
Four
Wicket

— Broken Cricket (@BrokenCricket) October 16, 2016

So Hardik Pandya is trusted to bowl ten overs on a pitch that SMG calls a "road". Must see it as an opportunity to prove his bowling skills

— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) October 16, 2016

Memorable debut by Pandya. He wants a place in the Indian team real bad

— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) October 16, 2016

.@hardikpandya7 receives his ODI cap from former India captain @therealkapildev @Paytm ODI Trophy #INDvNZ pic.twitter.com/oaYbb416b8

— BCCI (@BCCI) October 16, 2016