Follow UsPressure situations help you differentiate between the good and the best. Hardik Pandya, the skipper, under pressure in the must-win game showed exactly why he is not your run-of-the-mill T20 captain.
After being asked to bowl first. Pandya frontloaded his spinners to ensure Pooran didn't face much spin early on.
"Very important to win. We spoke as a group that these three games will be exciting. Two losses or two wins does not change the long term plans. We have to show we are ready when it comes to must-win games. Nicky didn't come out to bat and that allowed us to keep our pacers back, also allowed Axar to bowl his four overs," he said at the post-match presentation.
So confident was the Indian T20I skipper in his abilities that he wanted to take the in-form southpaw all by himself. He spoke about seniors taking responsibility, and what better way to show that than leading by example.
"If Nicky wants to hit, let him hit me and that was the plan, I enjoy such competition. I know he is going to hear this and will come hard at me in the fourth T20I. As a group we have decided to bat with seven batters and we have to take responsibility, like it happened today if the batters score runs then you don't need someone at #8."
He was full of praise for SKY as he notched up a brilliant half-century to help India chase down 160 in no time. He also reiterated the fact that if/when their batters got runs, there was no need to have batting beyond #8.
"As Surya mentioned, they (SKY and Tilak) play together and spend time together, good to have someone like SKY in the team and when he takes responsibility it sends a message to the others," he added.
Things won't get any easier, as they move to batter-friendly surfaces in Florida for the final two T20Is. It remains to be seen if India stick to the same conditions even in the smaller Florida grounds, or will they shore up either of the departments.