IND vs AUS: India, Hardik Pandya Ready to rock!

Stand-in skipper Hardik Pandya during India’s training session at Wankhede yesterday. Pic/Ashish Raje

India all-rounder Hardik Pandya is all set to lead the country for the first time in the 50-over format as the hosts take on Australia in the first ODI at the Wankhede Stadium today.

Pandya, the vice-captain for the series, will be leading the team here, as skipper Rohit Sharma has opted out due to family commitments. Pandya has led from the front to help India win seven out of the 11 T20Is he has captained in and reckons ODIs are just an extension of the shortest format. "Obviously, I'm very honoured [to lead in ODIs for the first time]. It fills my chest with pride and I look forward to the new challenge in as many games as possible," Pandya said at the pre-match press conference on Thursday.

Lavishing praise on Wankhede pitch, Pandya said it's a fair strip. "The wicket looks just as it does throughout the year. I've played here for almost seven years. It is one of the finest grounds and I've enjoyed playing here. It [the match] will be challenging because this wicket will provide equal opportunity to both sides and that will be more exciting," added the all-rounder.

To bowl or not to bowl

However, when asked if he's ready to bowl the full quota of 10 overs, he preferred to be tight-lipped: "That's a secret. Why would I say anything? Let them [Australia] prepare. I might not even bowl at all. But, I'll do whatever the situation requires. If I think I can bowl more, I will," he said.

The stand-in captain revealed that Ishan Kishan and Shubman Gill will open the innings, which means KL Rahul, who spent a lot of time with fielding coach T Dilip, taking short and long-distance flat catches, wearing the wicketkeeper's gloves on Thursday, will keep and bat at No. 6.

Also read: Shubman Gill establishes himself as all-format star in a matter of months

The series is a start of the team's preparations for the ODI World Cup which will be held in India in October-November this year. Team India, though, have some injury concerns over chief pacer Jasprit Bumrah and batsman Shreyas Iyer. Hardik stressed that there are adequate options to replace them. "Jassi [Bumrah] hasn't been around for quite some time now. The bowling group have been doing a decent job. And with the number of games they have played, they're all quite experienced now. Having Jassi makes a massive difference, but to be very honest, we aren't too bothered because the guys, who've taken Jassi's role, I'm confident they'll do well. We'll try to be a little brave, which I think, in the last couple of series, we have done quite well."

Bumrah, Iyer's absence

For today's fixture, Pandya has pace bowling options in Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Shardul Thakur, Umran Malik and Jaydev Unadkat besides having enough batter, who can replace Iyer (ruled out of the series due to a lower back injury). "I have been in that situation m, where the back could be a problem. We'll miss him [Iyer], but we have to find solutions if he isn't around. If he is, he is, of course, welcome. There's a lot of time to think about how we can go forward," Hardik added.