Former Indian Test opener Aakash Chopra has lavished praise on Hardik Pandya after India clinched a comprehensive 93-run win against Namibia in the ongoing T20 World Cup at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi on Thursday.
Pandya scored a blistering knock of 52 runs off just 28 balls with the help of four fours and as many sixes to help India post a par score of 209 runs on the board. Furthermore, Pandya returned with figures of 2-21 in his quota of four overs and thus was awarded Player of the Match for his all-round performance.
“Tilak Varma played almost a run-a-ball. Suryakumar Yadav got out stumped. When Ishan Kishan got out, it seemed like we might get stuck. I think Hardik Pandya, our hard-hitting Pandya, it was important for him to play well,” Chopra said on his YouTube Channel.
The renowned commentator said Pandya did the right thing as he took his time before catapulting his attack.
“However, this time, he didn’t do what he did against USA, that he would come and hit a six off the first ball. He said he would take his time and play a little cautiously at the start. He did hit a straight six, but after that also, he was going at almost a run-a-ball,” he added.
Chopra lauded Pandya for his temperament and said the all-rounder is always calm under pressure.
“What makes Hardik special? One is the temperament. He doesn’t feel the pressure. It just brings the best out of him. Point two, he hits shots over long-off while standing still. You cannot hit sixes over long-off while standing still,” he said.
The former Delhi cricketer praised Pandya for his pyrotechnics against Namibia.
“You can maybe go towards long-on and midwicket. He hits there as well, but his specialty is that he hits sixes over long-off while standing still, and does that consistently, and hits them flat because how will you generate power in that direction in an aerial shot? You won’t be able to make a parabola. He is absolutely gold dust,” Chopra observed.
India will next take on arch-rivals Pakistan at the R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo, on Sunday.
