Pandya admits World T20 experience was a reality check

Kanpur, Jan 24 (IANS) India all-rounder Hardik Pandya on Tuesday admitted that the 2016 World T20 was a "reality check" for him and the Australia tour with India A team was a huge learning curve.

"After the World Cup, I had a reality check like what are the things I should improve on. As an individual, I accept my mistakes and want to improve on," Pandya said ahead of the three T20 internationals against England starting here from Thursday.

Pandya, along with Kedar Jadhav, brought India close to an unlikely win after a top order collapse chasing a target of 322 in Kolkata on Sunday. India won the series 2-1 despite losing the third One-Day International (ODI).

India fell agonisingly close in the chase, managing 316/9, to lose by five runs. but Pandya impressed with a 56-run knock off 43 balls, hitting four boundaries and two sixes.

He and Jadhav (90 off 75 balls) put on a 104-run sixth-wicket partnership to pull India on the brink of victory.

"The Australia tour (with India A) was pretty important for me," he said.

"I learnt a lot of things about my game, Rahul sir (India A coach Rahul Dravid) used to talk to me about my game and the mental aspects."

Pandya failed miserably in the World Cup at home drawing a lot of flak for his tepid performances.

The lanky cricketer, who is known to lose his mind at times and play rash shots, said he accepted the mistakes he committed in the crucial stage of the third match.

"The shots that I played I should have not. The asking rate was high and someone had to play the big shots. Kedar was the one who stayed there and he should have and I thought I should be the one who would take the chances," Pandya said.

On having the experienced pacer Ashish Nehra in the T20 side as the bowling spearhead, Pandya said, "I have played with him. It only strengthens the bowling attack."