Team India lost its first T20I series to West Indies in 17 years on Sunday (August 13) as they went down in the fifth and final T20I by eight wickets. It was a comprehensive show from the Caribbean side in the decider as they chased down 166 runs in just 18 overs. The Indian batters including skipper Hardik Pandya put on an underwhelming performance throughout the series barring an odd game and that eventually came back to haunt the team.
After the loss, Hardik stated that losing is good and it teaches a lot while also lauding his boys for coming back strongly after being 0-2 down in the series at one stage. "Losing is good at times. On the positive side, we have done a lot of learnings. The boys showed character. Credit to them. They kept coming and tried something new. It is part of the process. It is what I feel at that moment," Hardik said at the presentation ceremony.
While the youngsters responded well after being 0-2 down in the series to make it 2-2, Hardik statement didn't go down well with the fans at all. 'Losing is good' has been highlighted by many on social media as they have come down hard at India's current T20I skipper. Many have questioned the all-rounder's captaincy credentials while a lot of them have demanded a new captain in long term in T20Is for India.
As far as Hardik Pandya's captaincy is concerned, a lot of questions were raised as well. He didn't bowl Yuzvendra Chahal his full quota at a crucial stage in the second T20I while Axar Patel's use as a bowler throughout the series was very minimal. Hardik Pandya as a batter too wasn't at his best and more so in the decider in Florida. He scored only 14 runs off 18 balls and also admitted after the match that he could not cover up after a slow start. "We lost the momentum when I came in and couldn't capitalize on the situation," Hardik said.
Here are fans' reactions to Hardik's statement:
