Kamran Akmal hails Hardik Pandya ahead of 2025 Champions Trophy, says playing XI is incomplete without him

Former Pakistan wicket-keeper bat Kamran Akmal has lauded Hardik Pandya ahead of the 2025 Champions Trophy. Akmal believes India’s playing XI is incomplete without the services of the all-rounder. Pandya adds a lot of value to the team as a seam-bowling all-rounder and him being in the side is a huge positive for the team.

Pandya can add the finishing touches with the bat in the white-ball formats whereas he can also bowl crucial overs in the middle phase of the innings.

The right-hander has scored 1769 runs in 86 ODI matches at an average of 34.02 and he has also scalped 84 wickets.

“The main player in the Indian team, without whom the playing XI is incomplete, is Hardik Pandya. He is my favorite, he is remarkable with the bat and the ball. He finishes games as well,” Kamran said on his YouTube Channel.

On the other hand, former Indian batter Suresh Raina feels Pandya will play a pivotal role when he would bowl with Kuldeep Yadav.

“The most important role will be Hardik Pandya’s–when he bowls and whether he bowls in tandem with Kuldeep Yadav,” Raina said on Star Sports.

Meanwhile, Pandya will be seen in action in the white-ball series against England in home conditions before playing in the Champions Trophy.

India will begin their Champions Trophy campaign against Bangladesh in Dubai on February 20.

India squad for the Champions Trophy: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill (vc), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Rishabh Pant(wk), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah*, Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Yashasvi Jaiswal