Hardik Pandya on verge of surpassing Jasprit Bumrah and R Ashwin in major T20I record

India faced a disappointing defeat in the opening T20I match of their five-game series against the West Indies. The loss came as a major setback for the Men in Blue as their preparations for next year's T20 World Cup suffered a dent. Led by Hardik Pandya, team India fell short by four runs while chasing a low target of 150, despite a promising debut performance by Tilak Varma, who scored an impressive 39 off 22 balls, and pacer Mukesh Kumar.

3 things you need to know

• India lost the first T20I against the West Indies by 4 runs
• India will look to make a comeback in the next match
• Hardik Pandya is on the verge of breaking a record

Also Read: ICC Slaps Fine On India And West Indies, Rovman Powell And Hardik Pandya Admit To Offence

Hardik Pandya on verge of surpassing Bumrah, R. Ashwin

Looking to make a comeback in the next match and level the series, India is determined to seek revenge in the 2nd T20I in Guyana. Indian skipper Hardik Pandya also has a personal milestone in his sights. After struggling with back injuries and being absent from bowling duties between 2020 and the start of 2022, Hardik made a remarkable return to white-ball cricket during the 2022 IPL season.

[Hardik Pandya prepares to bowl against West Indies during their first T20 cricket match at the Brian Lara Stadium; Image: AP]

Not only did he make it back into the Indian team as an all-rounder, but he was also elevated to the role of captain thanks to achievements in the IPL. Hardik Pandya has an impressive record in T20Is, having picked up 70 wickets in 77 appearances. He currently sits fifth among Indian bowlers, with Yuzvendra Chahal leading the list with 93 wickets in 76 matches, followed by Bhuvneshwar Kumar with 90 wickets in 87 games.

In the upcoming second match against West Indies, Hardik has a chance to surpass Jasprit Bumrah and Ravichandran Ashwin in the wicket-taking charts for India in T20Is. Pandya needs to take three or more wickets to go past Bumrah and Ashwin, who have 70 and 72 wickets in T20Is respectively. If he doesn't achieve the milestone in the second T20I, Hardik will have three more chances to consolidate his position in the chart.

Also Read: 'Chahal Stopped After 2 Wickets In An Over': Hardik Pandya's Captaincy Comes Into Question

Meanwhile, Bumrah has been out of action for the past several months due to an injury he sustained during an ODI series against England last year. Bumrah is all set to make a return to international cricket with a T20I series against Ireland later this month. He has been named the captain of the side in absence of Hardik, who will not play in the series. 

Image: AP