We have 'quality supply' in our middle-order, Sanjay Manjrekar backs Hardik Pandya, Rishabh Pant

Sanjay Manjrekar has praised Hardik Pandya and Rishabh Pant, saying India finally have "some quality supply" in their middle-order.

Pandya and Pant built a match-winning partnership in the decisive third ODI against England on Sunday to help the tourists win by five wickets. While Pandya scored a 55-ball 71, Pant scored his maiden ODI century as he remained unbeaten on 125 off 113 deliveries.

Pointing out that India struggled to figure out a good middle-order combination ahead of the 2019 ODI World Cup, Manjrekar said that there weren't any such problems now.

"Yes, just hoping that Hardik can keep his fitness together. No issues with Rishabh Pant. What we saw in that last one day, I was completely floored by the sheer talent and ability of these two guys, temperament as well built a long partnership, and how easily, in the end, India won.

Thanks to Rishabh Pant for staying there till the end. So yes, high-quality batters, and they're going to be batting mostly at number 4 and 5 whether it's T20 Cricket or 50 overs cricket, or Pant could be opening as well. In 2019, we had a lot of issues finding a proper middle order but now we have some quality supply," Manjrekar said on Sports 18's daily sports news show, 'SPORTS OVER THE TOP'.

Hardik Pandya is a changed guy: Sanjay Manjrekar

Pandya suffered a near-career-threatening back injury in late 2018. After months of rehab and workload management, Pandya got back to full fitness just ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022.

Manjrekar credited Gujarat Titans (GT) for showing faith in Pandya as the all-rounder was not only one of their marquee signings but also their captain. Following a successful stint as GT's skipper, where he led the new team to IPL glory this year, Pandya is now a mature player with a lot more responsibility and ambition, according to Manjrekar.

"Absolutely, Hardik Pandya is a completely changed guy. It was a wildcard that his franchise played. First of all, picking him as one of their first players, before that his fitness was a problem, and his batting was an issue for the earlier franchise. Not only did they pick him, and back him as one of their marquee players they gave him the captaincy. Just the way the league turned out for him.

Hardik Pandya is a changed man now, there's a lot of maturity, responsibility, and ambition as well. I see a sense of ambition coming into him. And once you have that, wanting to grow within Indian Cricket then there's tremendous motivation. He's also addressing himself in the third person now. Hardik Pandya has arrived," the former cricketer added further.

Pandya has begun to bowl regularly as well as he bagged his best ODI figures in the final ODI against England last week at Old Trafford. He bagged the crucial wickets of Ben Stokes, Jason Roy, Joe Root, and Liam Livingstone as he finished with figures of 4 for 24.

Rishabh Pant is not irresponsible, says Sanjay Manjrekar

Meanwhile, even Pant received some good words from Manjrekar for his batting. The cricketer-turned-commentator claimed that Pant is not irresponsible as a batsman because the shots that he attempts come naturally to him.

"No, he's always responsible. He may seem irresponsible sometimes when he gets out, when he gets out playing one of those kinds of shots, we've got to look at it as somebody getting out at slips because the game has changed and that is Rishabh Pant's primary sort of skill. He's got to sound different but when he extends himself, he tries these shots.

The winning runs, for example, it's a part of his basic attacking array of shots that he has. So, responsibility wise I think this guy is just incredible because of the kind of record he has in Test cricket. You can't play those kinds of shots if you are not responsible by nature," the former Mumbai batsman said.

India are now scheduled to travel to the Caribbean for ODI and T20I series. While Pant and Pandya are not in India's ODI squad, both will play in the shortest format. The tour is set to kickstart with the ODI series on July 22 in Trinidad.