Picture Credit: Twitter
If anyone has consistently nailed the famous helicopter shot after MS Dhoni, it has been none other than Hardik Pandya. The all-rounder has added this shot into his armoury and has successfully yielded a lot of runs from it. The brute force Hardik produces with his bottom hand is unbelievable, but mesmerizing.
Dhoni’s version of helicopter shot is special as he generally used it to dispose of yorkers for a maximum without moving around. However, the Pandya version is a bit different. Hardik likes to use the depth of the batting crease to convert yorkers into half volleys and then launch them between mid-wicket and long on. Also, Dhoni used to be a tad straight while Pandya hits it from a specific angle.
In a recent video shared by Mumbai Indians, Hardik can be seen unleashing the helicopter shot during a practice session. As usual, Pandya stood deep inside the batting crease, took a step backwards to create room for himself and then whipped his arms to hit the ball with brute force. The sound confirmed that the connection between the ball and the bat was nearly perfect. Though the video didn’t show where the ball actually went, the execution of the stroke spoke it was nothing less than a boundary.
Watch the clip here:
Players are getting in the groove before IPL 2021 resumes
The second phase of IPL is now just 11 days away and teams don’t want to leave any stone unturned. Franchises have already got their squad members landed in UAE. Meanwhile, Chennai Super Kings, Delhi Capitals, Royal Challengers Bangalore, MI, Kolkata Knight Riders, and SunRisers Hyderabad have also started training. Few days back, DC shared the pictures of their players working out in the gym while CSK showed its players playing volleyball on the beach.
AB de Villiers has also landed and will soon start training. Franchises have signed replacements for players who would not be available due to different reasons. So, everything looks set before the mega event resumes on September 19 with the El Clasico between Mumbai and Chennai. Before that, the players are getting in the groove and don’t want to miss out on anything.