Former Indian cricketer Robin Uthappa lavished praise on India’s all-rounder Hardik Pandya, comparing him to the legendary Viv Richards of the West Indies and saying that his swagger and confidence intimidate the opposition.
His comments followed Hardik record-breaking 25-ball 63 against South Africa in the fifth and final Twenty20 International of the five-match series in Ahmedabad on December 19. He also dismissed the dangerous Dewald Brevis with the ball.
After Yuvraj Singh, who got his half-century in 12 balls against England in 2007, Hardik became India’s second-fastest half-centurion in just 16 balls.
On the pitch, he exudes the same enthusiasm as Sir Viv Richards. Young people can learn a lot from his swaggering demeanour. Even before you’ve played a ball, the opposition is intimidated by that enthusiasm. “It’s an incredible mindset to possess,” Uthappa stated on JioStar.
Thanks to the 100-run partnership between Tilak Varma and Hardik Pandya, as well as the clinical performances of Varun Chakravarthy and Jasprit Bumrah, India defeated South Africa by 30 runs to win the five-match T20I series 3-1.
Uthappa further examined India’s overwhelming performance in the match and concluded that Bumrah and Chakaravarthy’s periods were crucial. As India reclaimed control after South Africa briefly threatened to reach the goal, he also praised captain Suryakumar Yadav for his astute tactical decisions and well-timed bowling changes.
Varun Chakaravarthy and Jasprit Bumrah were outstanding on this wicket. When things go wrong, Bumrah is India’s banker. He gave up just six runs in his opening two overs and took out Quinton de Kock, who was vital to India’s recovery, he added.
Subsequently, Suryakumar displayed excellent captaincy by calling Varun back after Hardik dismissed Dewald Brevis in his second over. He quickly grabbed Aiden Markram, Donovan Ferreira, and another. Varun’s ability to bounce back is what makes him stand out. He tackles the batter’s weaknesses after hitting his length, which is precisely what he did excellently today,” he said.
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