Virat Kohli clarified today that the strategy to move Hardik Pandya up the batting order was Ravi Shastri's call. This decision proved decisive in the third ODI, where India secured a 5-wicket win. Batting at number four, Pandya played a standout knock of 78 runs from 72 deliveries, which was instrumental in India reaching the target of 294. Kohli praised Pandya's explosive style, calling him an essential piece of the team's puzzle.
Following the game, Kohli expressed his satisfaction with the result, describing Pandya as a star player. He pointed out that Pandya's ability to contribute across all three departments—batting, bowling, and fielding—is exactly what the team had been missing. According to Kohli, having an explosive all-rounder of this caliber is crucial for the future of the Indian squad.
Kohli mentioned that the move to promote Pandya was a suggestion from Ravi Shastri. He also praised the efforts of wrist spinners Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav, noting that such bowlers need patience and support since they can't always rely on the pitch, despite their inherent ability to break partnerships. Meanwhile, Australian captain Steve Smith admitted that his side looked strong around the 37th or 38th over, but was undone by India's superior tactical bowling. Smith felt a total of 330+ would have been a safer target, while acknowledging Hardik Pandya's impressive performance and Aaron Finch's contribution on a surface that slowed down, despite being batter-friendly for the first 35 overs of each innings.