Former Indian batter Rohan Gavaskar lauded Hardik Pandya after India won the Champions Trophy by beating New Zealand in the summit clash in Dubai on Sunday by four wickets. Gavaskar said the all-rounder is priceless for the team and it wouldn’t have been possible for the side to play with four spinners in the final XI if Pandya had not been there.

Pandya shared the new ball with Mohammed Shami in the last three games after Varun Chakravarthy replaced Harshit Rana in the final XI. 

Pandya scalped four wickets in five matches of the tournament at an average of 35.75 and an economy rate of 5.83. Furthermore, Pandya scored 99 runs in four innings at an average of 24.75 and a strike rate of 106.45. The right-hander also scored a crucial knock of 28 runs off 24 balls in the semifinal against Australia and then scored a run-a-ball 18 in the final against the Kiwis.

Rohan Gavaskar said on Cricbuzz, “The fact that we could play four spinners is because of someone like Hardik. If we didn’t have someone like Hardik, there’s no way you are playing with four spinners. What he brings to the team, there isn’t a price for it. A fit Hardik is priceless for this Indian team.”

Gavaskar added, “You have to be a little thick-skinned because you will always get a fair amount of criticism no matter what you do. The criticism, the trolling that he went through – it wouldn’t have been easy for him. But, he’s come out of it stronger – champion here, champion in the [T20] World Cup. He’s shown again what an important member of the team he is.”

Pandya has delivered with both bat and ball in the white-ball formats. He will lead Mumbai Indians in the upcoming IPL 2025.