Hardik Pandya’s thunderbolts pepper the speed gun as all-rounder marks solid return with the ball in IPL 2022 | Cricket

Ahead of the fourth match of the IPL 2022 between debutants Gujarat Titans and Lucknow Super Giants, all eyes were on Hardik Pandya as the all-rounder had famously hinted of a ‘surprise’ for his fans. And on Monday, at the Wankhede Stadium, everyone indeed got a glimpse of what it was. Pandya, the Gujarat captain resumed bowling in top-flight cricket and he did it with no half-measures. Pandya steamed in, bent his back and regularly clocked at 140 kmph to make a remarkable bowling comeback.

After Shami had inflicted early damage on LSG, restricting them to 29/4, Hardik brought himself on in the 7th over of the innings. And boy, did he begin well. His first six balls were clocked at 139, 137, 140, 134, 138 and 139 kmph. Although he got smacked for a boundary, Hardik looked fit and agile, during his run up to the crease and in his follow through. The next three overs were bowled with similar speeds. Hardik did not look flustered. The all-rounders second over conceded 11 runs with two fours. He finished with 0/37 from his four overs.

Before this, Hardik had previous bowled briefly during the T20 World Cup, and struggled. He was bowling in the mid-120s and panting for breath. Clearly, since undergoing rehab at the NCA, Hardik has shown how much he’s worked towards his bowling. If he continues to bowl at this speed without getting injured and picks up wickets, the road back to the Indian team does not seem too far and Venkatesh Iyer will have stiff competition.

Ever since undergoing a back surgery in September of 2019, Hardik has bowled rarely. He wasn’t asked to roll his arms over in IPL 2020 even though he did bowl a few overs in the limited-overs series against Australia in late 2020 and in IPL 2021, but has mainly been playing as a batter, that is until tonight.