Former South African all-rounder Lance Klusener believes the Indian team looks a different side when Hardik Pandya is in full flow. Pandya has been in decent form in the recent past and he has played a key role in the success of the team.
Pandya had scored 487 runs while leading Gujarat Titans in Tata IPL 2022 and he has been able to carry the same form while playing for the national team. Most importantly, Pandya is proving his mettle as a bowler and he is consistently contributing with the ball, which is adding value to the team.
Pandya has the skills to play according to the match situation as a batter and he can also bowl around 140 kmph to trouble the opposition batsmen. Ergo, the all-rounder adds a lot of value, especially while playing in overseas conditions.
Lance Klusener who is currently the batting coach of Zimbabwe, said while talking to the Times of India, “A fast-bowling all-rounder like Hardik Pandya adds glue to any white-ball side or to any cricket team. It’s so good to have him back and is getting into the form we are accustomed to. The Indian team looks a different side when Hardik Pandya is in full flow.”
Hardik Pandya also led in the two-match T20I series against Ireland in the absence of Rohit Sharma and also got a chance to lead in the fifth T20I against the West Indies. Pandya had played a vital knock in the third ODI against England and had formed a crucial alliance with Rishabh Pant.
Meanwhile, Zimbabwe is all set to take on India in three-match ODI series. Klusener feels it will be a great learning curv for Zimbabwe to take on a quality team like India.
“It will be a great learning curve for a team like Zimbabwe to play against a top side like India. It’s a good challenge for us and an opportunity for our players to learn and grow.”
Hardik Pandya is not part of the Indian squad for the Zimbabwe series and he will be seen in action in the Asia Cup.
India ODI squad for Zimbabwe ODIs: KL Rahul (c), Shikhar Dhawan (vc), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shubman Gill, Deepak Hooda, Rahul Tripathi, Ishan Kishan (wk), Sanju Samson (wk), Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Avesh Khan, Prasidh Krishna, Mohd Siraj, Deepak Chahar
