“We are far too obsessed with individual achievement,” Harsha Bhogle calls out trolls for targeting Hardik Pandya because he denied Tilak Varma a 50, AB de Villiers agrees

Tilak Varma could have scored his second consecutive T20I fifty had Hardik Pandya let him.

“We are far too obsessed with individual achievement,” Harsha Bhogle calls out trolls for targeting Hardik Pandya because he denied Tilak Varma a 50, AB de Villiers agrees

Hardik Pandya, Harsha Bhogle (Images via NDTV, Getty)

India T20I captain Hardik Pandya received a lot of flak for not letting Tilak Varma complete his half-century in the third T20I against the West Indies. As Varma required just one run to reach his second consecutive T20I fifty and India needed two runs to win the match, Pandya hit a six against Rovman Powell to finish things off. 

This meant that Varma went back to the dressing room with an unbeaten 49 against his name. This act from Hardik Pandya created a massive uproar among the fans who labeled the India captain selfish. Former India cricketer and commentator Aakash Chopra also criticized Pandya. 

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However, Harsha Bhogle and former South Africa batter AB de Villiers have rallied behind Pandya. As Bhogle shared a post on X, calling out the trolls, de Villiers agreed. 

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Harsha Bhogle livid with too much talk around Tilak Varma’s fifty

Hardik Pandya Tilak Varma
Hardik Pandya denied Tilak Varma a fifty (Image via Wisden)

Harsha Bhogle looked too disappointed with the talks around Tilak Varma not completing his fifty due to Pandya. Bhogle said that fans are too obsessed with individual achievement in a team sport. The cricket commentator also claimed that the fifties should not be considered milestones. 

“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,” wrote Bhogle on X.  

“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.”

Meanwhile, AB de Villiers thanked Bhogle for finally saying it. “Thank you thank you thank you. Finally someone says it!” commented de Villiers on Bhogle’s post.

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