The Suryakumar Yadav-led team is anticipated to profit from Hardik Pandya’s return to the Indian squad following an injury hiatus for the forthcoming five-match series against South Africa, which starts in Cuttack on December 9. Parthiv Patel has showered the star cricketer with accolades since his return, stating that he will be essential to the Men in Blue’s success in white-ball formats.
Pandya has established a reputation as a strong striker with the bat, but Parthiv has stated that he is equally skilled with the ball in his hands. The former wicketkeeper-batter has asserted that Hardik, who has been bowling in the powerplay for a while, is India’s guy with the golden arm.
“It’s clear that many teams undervalue Hardik Pandya’s ability to swing the ball.
We discuss the golden arm. For you, that is Hardik Pandya. He changed the tide for India [in the T20 World Cup 2024 final] by taking Klaasen’s wicket. “He always enjoys participating in the competition,” Parthiv said on Star Sports.
Parthiv even went so far as to claim that he alone is capable of replacing the Baroda all-rounder. The 32-year-old’s importance to the team’s 2026 T20 World Cup campaign, where Suryakumar Yadav & Co. will also be defending the championship from the previous edition, was also emphasised by the former wicketkeeper-batter.
“He wants to use the new ball for bowling. There is no one like Hardik Pandya because he loves to bowl such challenging overs. Hardik Pandya cannot be replaced. Pandya is the person who has replaced Hardik Pandya. Make him healthy for the [T20] World Cup if he becomes unfit; he will be a crucial player for India,” he continued.
On December 9, India and South Africa will play each other in a five-match Twenty20 International series. Along with a few other returning players, Pandya was included on the 15-man roster. An injury to his left quadriceps sustained during India’s championship Asia Cup in the United Arab Emirates earlier this year kept him out for some time. He played for Baroda in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy before the T20Is.
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