Former Windies batsman Darren Ganga is fascinated by new-age Indian players

Contemporary cricketers from India have a different image before the world, something which is more raw and forceful compared to what it was decades earlier. Former Windies batsman Darren Ganga is one of those whose eyes have caught this transition and he feels the current breed of Indian players is aggressive and bold in their body language.

Ganga is particularly ecstatic over ace all-rounder Hardik Pandya who for him, represents the modern and fearless Indian cricketer. He is also excited by talents like Prithvi Shaw, who recently made a big international debut by hitting a Test century against the Windies as one of the youngest in the world. The 39-year-old Ganga was in India recently for his commentary stint in the India-Windies series. The final game of the tour – the third T20I – will take place in Chennai on November 11.

Ganga all praise for Hardik Pandya, Prithvi Shaw and others

“Hardik [Pandya], to me, represents the modern, fearless Indian cricketer. He gives more options to skipper Virat Kohli in the team formation. Look at someone like Prithvi Shaw. It was incredible the way he commanded the stage in his very first Test,” Ganga, who also captained the Windies in two Tests, told Sportstar. He also said that 18-year-old Shaw looked very assured of himself as he went on batting in an ultra-attacking style in his debut game. “His talent is backed by statistics,” Ganga said.

Ganga, who played 48 Tests, 35 ODIs and one T20I between 1998 and 2008 and scored over 3,000 runs, also praised other young Indian batsmen like Mayank Agarwal, Hanuma Vihari, Sanju Samson and Shreyas Iyer and commended India for producing a number of good pace bowlers.

Speaking about Umesh Yadav’s 10-wicket haul in Hyderabad Test which India won by 10 wickets, Ganga said, “In the 20 years I have been playing and following cricket, I haven’t seen a performance by an Indian fast bowler like that,” he said, expressing his amazement for a pace bowler producing such a performance on a surface which the spinners are expected to exploit more.

Ganga also said that tournament like the Indian Premier League has helped in the growth of the Indian cricket in a big way.