Hardik Pandya's colossal sixes, KL Rahul's masterful MS Dhoni act put an end to long-standing demons, dynamic duo set sights on settling unfinished business

Despite their differences, they are great friends. They frequently swim together and sometimes sink together as well, such as in January 2019 when they faced backlash for making 'sexist' remarks on the television show, Koffee With Karan.

The pair was withdrawn by the Board of Control for Cricket in India from the tour of Australia, suspended for the subsequent outing to New Zealand and slapped with a fine of ₹20 lakh each. It was a low point in their lives, Rahul admitting that the interview ‘scarred’ him ‘massively’.

The fans were quick to accept their apology and move on, but perhaps the two felt they had unfinished business to attend to. Each has since played crucial roles in India’s progress in various formats on different platforms; in Dubai on Tuesday night, they came together during a brief but vital partnership that propelled their team past Australia and into the final of the Champions Trophy.

Pandya was one of the heroes of India’s title triumph at the T20 World Cup in June last year, not least in the final when his dismissal of Heinrich Klaasen with South Africa seemingly running away with the trophy catalysing a remarkable fightback which netted India a seven-run heist. Rahul has done everything and more than has been asked of him, including keeping wickets in Test cricket, batting at various slots and delivering at most of them.

Yet, the redemption song they sang at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in the Champions Trophy semifinal must have felt the sweetest, the most mellifluous.

Of all the teams in knockout games in global tournaments, India’s most troublesome opponents have been from the Antipodes – New Zealand, and Australia. The Kiwis were dismantled on Sunday in a league fixture, by 44 runs. It was the turn of the Aussies to be subjugated 48 hours later.

Australia consigned India to the most devastating heartbreak in recent times, by six wickets in the final of the 2023 World Cup in Ahmedabad. It was the third time after the 2003 final in Johannesburg and the 2015 semifinal in Sydney that India had been schooled by the team that hates to lose. Australia were becoming something of a bogey team, a bugbear, a nightmare on loop. India needed to get their own back, rapidly.

Rahul and Pandya had shown good touch coming into this encounter. The former, now batting at No. 6 following the elevation of Axar Patel to the No. 5 slot he has bossed, made an unbeaten 41 to finish the chase against Bangladesh and 23 against the Kiwis. Pandya has revelled in the all-rounder’s role, picking up key wickets and warming up for this clash with a run-a-ball 45 in the defeat of New Zealand. Australia loomed in their sights and they weren’t going to let them escape. Not this time.

Pandya didn’t have a great afternoon with the ball, going for 34 in his four overs as Australia piled up 264. Rahul, who had a quiet (read good) time behind the stumps, converted a careful start into an explosive middle, dominating a stand of 47 with Virat Kohli to take India to within 40 of victory when the latter perished. By smacking Tanveer Sangha and Ben Dwarshuis for fours and depositing Adam Zampa over the sightscreen, Rahul had made sure Kohli didn’t feel the pressure of a mounting run-rate, breezing to 31 off 26 when Pandya strode out.

Pandya’s was a tortured stay to start with, Nathan Ellis’ slower deliveries tying him up in knots. It seemed as if his bad afternoon might devolve into a worse night, but if there is one thing he isn’t short on, it’s self-belief. Three off 10 and then 12 off 18, he opened his big shoulders and slammed Zampa’s leg-spin for successive sixes – 83 and 101 metres respectively. In no time, 27 needed off 24 balls became 12 off 18. That’s the beauty of self-confidence. Of belief and chutzpah and the power and the skill to clear the ropes. By the time he fell with victory a stroke away, Pandya’s contribution to the sixth-wicket stand of 34 was a muscular 28.

But Rahul would have the last laugh, wouldn’t he? Not quite the tortoise to Pandya’s hare, he delivered the decisive, brutally beautiful blow – a six off Glenn Maxwell to drag his side over the line. What Pandya can do, Rahul can do better. Or can he? Now, to wait for the bling man’s riposte.

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