‘Hardik Pandya is going to be more valuable than Kohli, Rohit, Bumrah in white-ball cricket,’ believes Aakash Chopra

‘Hardik Pandya is going to be more valuable than Kohli, Rohit, Bumrah in white-ball cricket,’ believes Aakash Chopra

Aakash Chopra and hardik pandya

Aakash Chopra and Hardik Pandya

Former Indian cricketer turned commentator Aakash Chopra has opined that all-rounder Hardik Pandya is on his way to becoming India’s most valuable player in white-ball formats. Chopra reckoned that Hardik Pandya could be the most crucial cog for the ‘Men in Blue’ during the upcoming edition of T20 World Cup. 

Chopra said in his latest video posted on his official Facebook page, “Hardik Pandya is fast becoming India’s most valuable player in white-ball cricket. He is going to be more valuable than Kohli, Rohit, Bumrah. If India has to win the World T20, Hardik Pandya could be the one to play the biggest role in that. To start with Hardik Pandya the batsman, India has not won the last few limited-overs World Cups. Our top-order has always been good, Rohit Sharma scored five centuries in one World Cup, and Virat Kohli always scores runs.”

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He further opined, “But why don’t we win the matches in the end? Earlier there was (MS) Dhoni who used to be left alone. Now with Dhoni having left, there is no one. If you have to win the next World Cup, there is no way you can win it with just Rohit, Rahul and Kohli in the top three. It will not work with that, you need finishing because that is India’s problem in T20 or ODI cricket. We bowl well but get the problem in the finishing with the batting. The strong finishers are not present, it is a different skill which cannot be taught.

‘Hardik Pandya owns a place in team India’

Hardik Pandya

Aakash Chopra lauded Hardik Pandya for the way he continued with his tremendous IPL form to the Australia tour as well. He reckoned that the all-rounder was under no pressure during the second T20I while chasing a mammoth target at the death overs. 

“The rise we have seen of Hardik Pandya, the way he has grown as a player from the first IPL till now, it seems that he owns the place. In ODI cricket, if there is a collapse batting first then he takes his time if you send him at the end, he just smashes the sixes,” Chopra added.

“If you talk about the second T20I, in the recent past you would have felt that it is only possible if Dhoni is there but otherwise there is no chance. But this time when Hardik was batting, we were also feeling and he was also feeling that there is no tension and that he will manage,” concluded the former right-hander.

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