Hardik Pandya, who is leading Team India in the ongoing T20I series against West Indies, was recenty criticised after he hit a six to finish off the third T20I at the Providence Stadium in Guyana leaving Tilak Varma stranded on an unbeaten 49 at the other end. While there were several fans who contrasted Pandya’s gesture with that of his idol MS Dhoni who had famously played a defensive stroke to allow Virat Kohli to finish off the game, cricket commentator Harsha Bhogale has said that he was puzzled with the discussion around Varma missing what would have been his second successive half-century in the series.

Bhogle argued that in the shortest format of the game, half-centuries shouldn’t be a parameter in the first place. Only centuries, which are rare, could be looked upon as a milestone. He reckoned that since it is a team sport, individual achievements shouldn’t be as important. 

I am puzzled by the discussion around Tilak Varma missing out on a 50. It isn’t a landmark, in fact other than a century (which is rare), there are no landmarks in T20 cricket. We are far too obsessed with individual achievement within a team sport. I don’t believe 50s should be recorded in individual stats in T20 cricket. If you have made enough runs quickly enough (avg and SR), that is all that matters,” Bhogle wrote on X.

Meanwhile, among several responses to Bhogle’s post one which has stood out is that from former South African batting star AB de Villiers. The ex-Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) star agreed to what the ‘Voice of Indian Cricket’ had to say and simply commented: ‘Thank you thank you thank you. Finally someone says it!’

Have a look a ABD’s reaction on Bhogle’s tweet here:

Thank you thank you thank you. Finally someone says it!

— AB de Villiers (@ABdeVilliers17) August 10, 2023