Lance Klusener reckons Hardik Pandya will be a lethal weapon for India

A lot of buzz is being generated ahead of the India tour of South Africa. The series is all set to commence from tomorrow, with the first Test at Cape Town. Former Proteas all rounder, Lance Klusener highly praised Hardik Pandya. The Indian all rounder has created a lethal impact in recent times. Klusener is currently the batting coach of Zimbabwe.

While Pandya is primarily known for his exploits in the limited overs format, he has been splendid in the traditional form of the game as well. Lance Klusener felt that Pandya provides a perfect balance to the Indian setup. He further spoke about the importance of Kohli scoring and rated the bowling attacks of both sides.

Hardik Pandya is an exciting talent 

In a really short span of time, Hardik Pandya has become a formidable part of the Indian lineup. He may have just played three tests but has already made a mark. With a century and a half century, alongside a bowling average of 23.75, Pandya has proved his versatility as an all-rounder. Klusener elaborated on how Pandya provided the Indian skipper with a lot of options.

“An all-rounder of the quality of Pandya gives India the edge both with the bat and ball. He is an exciting talent who provides balance to the Indian unit. Pandya -a medium-pacer who comes to bat lower down the order – provides skipper Virat Kohli with a lot of options with team combination,” Klusener was quoted saying by The Times of India.

The former cricketer stated that Pandya could be a potential threat to the home side. Pandya has a knack for some sensational pinch hitting when in the groove. He gave an insight as to how the Proteas could bowl short to trouble the batsman.

“I expect the South African bowlers to use the short ball against him. But if he survives those initial moments and gets his eye in, then Pandya could be lethal,” Klusener added.

If India aim to win this series, Kohli has to score

Talking about the strength of both the sides, Klusener revealed that the Proteas have a competitive edge, considering they have a well-versed pace attack with the likes of Rabada, Steyn and Morkel in their ranks. He also lauded India’s spin attack, led by the duo of Ashwin and Jadeja.

“Both India and South Africa have full strength sides to choose from. There is little to separate the two teams but I reckon South Africa will enjoy a slight edge in the pace bowling department as the likes of Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel, Kagiso Rabada and Vernon Philander are well-versed with the conditions. On the other hand, India have a well-rounded attack with terrific spin bowling options such as R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja to choose from,” he opined.

However, he conceded that Virat Kohli scoring runs would be crucial in determining India’s success in South Africa. He also described it as a challenge for the South African bowlers to bowl to one of the best batsmen in the world. “If India aim to win this series then Kohli will have to score. He would be tested and it gives our bowlers a chance to know how good they are when they bowl to one of the best batters in the world currently,” said Klusener.

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