Ian Chappell feels Hardik Pandya will be key on overseas tours

Former Australian cricketer Ian Chappell has picked Hardik Pandya as India’s trump card for their overseas tours next year. The young all-rounder has impressed everyone in his short career so far and is looking a great prospect for the team in future. Currently, he is enjoying a small break ahead of the limited overs series against New Zealand which will start on October 22 in Mumbai at Wankhede Stadium.

Pandya, who made his international debut in 2016 in the shortest format, earned his first Man of the Series award in the recently concluded ODI series against Australia. He was sent to bat at 4 twice by the team management and he didn’t disappoint them as he played a match-winning knock in Indore in the third ODI. He was also impressive with the ball as he picked six wickets to go with 222 runs with the bat. Earlier, the Baroda lad hit a magnificent ton in the Test series against Sri Lanka in their own backyard and announced himself in all the formats of the game at the highest level.

Chappell urges Pandya to go Miandad’s way

Ian Chappell, in his column for ESPNCricinfo, wrote that Hardik Pandya has the potential to do what Kapil Dev did for the Indian team. “Pandya is a huge hit with the fans and was partly responsible for India dominating Australia in the recent ODI series. However, his biggest influence on the team could come in the Test arena,” he wrote. He also believed that his ability to bat in the top six could afford India to field a balanced attack.

“A player like Pandya, who has the ability to bat in the top six and also produce deliveries clocked at 140kph gives a Test side the flexibility that leads to success under all conditions. It affords India the opportunity to field a balanced attack of five bowlers no matter what the conditions. For India to be regarded as a truly great side, they need to perform well under tough conditions and against extremely competitive opponents like Australia and South Africa. If Pandya can adapt his bowling to succeed in those cauldrons – and there’s no reason he can’t – then India, with a strong batting line-up, are more likely to experience consistent overseas success,” he added in his column.

“The other challenge Pandya will face – especially in Australia – is the needling high-profile players receive from the crowds. This can have the effect of being either an inspiration or an imposition, and the way Pandya handles the intense barracking will contribute to either his success or failure. If he needs inspiration in this regard he only need look to former star Pakistan batsman Javed Miandad, who could be as annoying as a shovel grating on cement, and was constantly heckled in Australia, but this only made him more determined,” the 74-year-old concluded.