Gujarat Titans skipper Hardik Pandya (IPL Image)
Now with Gujarat set to start their title defence in opposition to Chennai Super Kings on the Narendra Modi Stadium on Friday, Pandya will once more emerge as a key participant for his workforce
Veteran India pacer Zaheer Khan hailed Gujarat Titans captain Hardik Pandya and known as him the perfect impression participant within the shortest format of the sport. Pandya led Gujarat Titans to their title triumph on their debut season as he carried out exceptionally properly with each bat and ball to set an instance for others within the workforce. Hardik began his IPL journey with Mumbai Indians in IPL 2015 and groomed there as top-of-the-line all-rounders in white-ball cricket.
Khan, who has labored intently with Pandya at Mumbai Indians, talked extremely of his talents with each bat and ball.
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“If you discuss an impression participant, Hardik is the perfect impression participant. In the scenario the place he bats, at quantity 5 or 6, it’s not straightforward, particularly on this format the place you need to use the final three or 4 overs to bat at a specific strike price, whereas going through ten to 12 deliveries.”
“That’s his specialty. His hand speed is exceptional and for a batter to have that hand speed and catch the ball, very few players can actually do that. Even when bowling, he can bowl at any phase, he is an all-phase bowler which is an asset,” Zaheer was quoted as saying by Sports18.
Now with Gujarat set to start their title defence in opposition to Chennai Super Kings on the Narendra Modi Stadium on Friday, Pandya will once more emerge as a key participant for his workforce.
Live | Gujarat Titans vs Chennai Super Kings IPL 2023 Match 1
Zaheer additionally hailed Pandya’s means to be an clever captain who takes recommendation from skilled individuals round him, citing his relationship with Gujarat head coach Ashish Nehra.
“If you take a look at the earlier IPL, what we noticed was that Hardik had by no means captained earlier than. That was a bonus for Ashish Nehra as properly as a result of while you haven’t been a captain earlier than, you need to study probably the most about it. That’s why Nehra and Pandya’s partnership emerged because the Jodi No. 1 final season,” he added.
Legendary India spinner Anil Kumble also heaped praises on Pandya and called him a complete packege.
“For a fast bowler to be bowling at that pace and then coming in and batting in whichever situation, we have seen that with Mumbai Indians, he did the finisher’s role but last year we saw a different Hardik Pandya, the captain play a different role for Gujarat. In that sense, he’s the complete package you’d expect from a player.”
Kumble, who was Punjab Kings head coach until final yr’s IPL, touched upon the essential sides of captaincy that Pandya has imbibed from MS Dhoni.
“He reads the sport very well, similar to MS Dhoni. You can see that in the best way he bats and bowls, and likewise manages his bowling assets.”
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