'It's like India are playing with 12 players': Ex-Pakistan coach praises Hardik Pandya, compares him with Jacques Kallis

The Rohit Sharma-led Indian side started off its 2022 T20 Asia Cup on a brilliant note after beating Pakistan in their thrilling tournament opener in Dubai on Sunday.

The star of the day for India was all-rounder Hardik Pandya, who displayed some brilliant cricket — both with bat and ball. After taking three wickets with the ball, Pandya played a crucial knock as he scored an unbeaten 33 off just 17 balls smashing four fours and one six.

After taking India home in the final over, Pandya’s efforts were well acknowledged by the cricket fraternity and now former Pakistan coach Mickey Arthur has also heaped praises on the 28-year-old all-rounder.

Speaking of Pandya’s all-round skills, Arthur said the India player has matured over the years, and with him on the side, it was like India was playing with 12 players. Also, Arthur, under whom Pakistan won the 2017 Champions Trophy, compared Hardik to former South Africa all-rounder Jacques Kallis.

“Hardik Pandya in the side means it’s almost like India are playing with 12 players. It reminds me of my time back in South Africa when we had Jacques Kallis. You have a guy who can be one of your four seamers and bat in your top-five,” Arthur was quoted as saying on ESPNcricinfo.

“I have seen Hardik mature and mature and his leadership in the last IPL was outstanding. He managed his team very well and played so well under pressure,” Arthur added.

Notably, after dealing with fitness issues for the next few years, Pandya returned his fully fit avatar in 2022 to lead Gujarat Titans to their maiden India Premier League (IPL) title in their debut season. Throughout the season, Pandya led his side from the front with his all-round show, scoring 487 runs at an average of 44.27 in 15 games and hitting four fifties. He also took eight wickets for his side, including a match-winning 3/17 in the final.

Since then, he has shown exceptional form for India in T20Is and has played many crucial knocks, be it as an aggressor or an anchor.

In T20Is this year, Pandya has scored 314 runs across 13 innings in 14 matches at an average of 34.88. He has scored one half-century and various other crucial knocks. He has also taken 11 wickets for his side in 14 matches with best bowling figures of 4/33.

In three ODIs as well, he has hit 100 runs in two innings across three matches with an average of 50, with one fifty and best score of 71. He has also taken six wickets across these three matches, with best figures of 4/24.

Pandya will remain a very important player for Team India in the upcoming ICC World T20 2022, which will take place from October-November this year.

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