How Hardik Pandya’s key advice helped Suryansh Shedge find his bowling weapon

Puducherry witnessed Suryansh Shedge's breakthrough performance in the unofficial ODIs against Australia 'A.' A late inclusion due to Hardik Pandya's withdrawal, the 23-year-old Mumbai allrounder delivered a stellar spell of 4-40, despite failing with the bat. This success marks a pivotal moment in Shedge's international journey, which began after injuries sidelined Pandya and Nitish Kumar Reddy, allowing Shedge to make his debut against Ireland in June.

Pandya played a crucial role in shaping Shedge's approach, emphasizing the importance of mastering his stock ball, the target-area ball, as his unique selling point. By making this ball a central focus, Shedge learned to rely on it when facing aggressive opponents. The key to his effectiveness lies in the surprise factor – mixing in slower deliveries or quicker full balls to keep batters guessing.

Shedge's strategy proved successful against Australia 'A,' especially as the pitch began to slow down, prompting him to focus on delivering short-of-good-length balls. This approach became his game-changer, allowing him to make use of a scrambled seam and hit the deck, leading to significant results.