India all-rounder Hardik Pandya has been on a hot streak ever since he led the debutants Gujarat Titans (GT) to the Indian Premier League (IPL) title in their maiden season in the high-profile competition. Since making his national comeback after a seven-month hiatus in June, Hardik Pandya has impressed almost everyone with his performances for Team India. Last month, the 28-year-old cricketer played a pivotal role in the T20I series against South Africa at home before stepping up with both bat and ball in the recent ODI series against England. Such was Hardik Pandya's effectiveness in both the departments of the game that he ended up finishing as the second-highest wicket-taker and second-highest run-scorer. Hardik Pandya's stellar show against Jos Buttler and his boys earned him rave reviews from Pakistan speedster Shoaib Akhtar. However, the Rawalpindi Express‘ words came with a grain of salt as he advised him to remain completely focused on his on-field play and not get distracted by his shenanigans outside the pitch.
“He completes the team's balance. He got a good jolt, staying out of the team for about two years because of his fitness. He was casual about his life and is now better, he looks more focused and seems to be enjoying his life on the field. Don't enjoy too much off the field because he is a very rare talent,” Shoaib Akhtar said on his official YouTube channel.
“He is a great fielder and a great fast bowler, a great addition to the pace battery. In the latter overs where a lot of bowlers struggle, he performs and he managed to outshine the rest of the bowlers,” Shoaib Akhtar added.
“India is huge and becoming a star of such a big country is a great responsibility. I am sure he will understand his responsibility and will focus on his game. He will get all kinds of fame, money and respect so just stay focused Hardik Pandya,” Shoaib Akhtar suggested.
Before the ODI series, Hardik Pandya also participated in the T20I series between England and India. He was instrumental in India's 2-1 series victory in the shortest format as well as he became the first Indian player to take four wickets and hit a fifty in a T20I match.
Hardik Pandya achieved the feat after making 51 off 33 deliveries and picking 4/33 in the first T20I against England in Southampton.
And Shoaib Akhtar was delighted to see him back as a bowler.
“He is obviously a great batter. He has got so many compact shots and he plays deliveries late. So I am sure that he will become one of the best all-rounders in the world. Just stay focussed,” Shoaib Akhtar summed up.
After the conclusion of the ODI series against England, Hardik Pandya hinted that he was enjoying his bowling because his body was allowing him to deliver important overs for the Indian cricket team.
“The body's fine, that's why I'm bowling so much and without trouble, the captain is fantastic at managing my workload. The captain has been fantastic on when I should bowl and when I should not, he has handled me nicely,” the star all-rounder said.
Hardik Pandya's transformation, meanwhile, took several former Indian cricketers by surprise as many of them have been bowled by his new avatar.
Ex-India batter Sanjay Manjrekar claimed that Hardik Pandya was a “changed” man now, while Sunil Gavaskar heaped rich praise on him for his “maturity”.
“Absolutely, Hardik Pandya is a completely changed guy. First of all, picking him as one of their first players, before that his fitness was a problem, and his batting was an issue for the earlier franchise. Not only did they pick him, and back him as one of their marquee players they gave him the captaincy,” Sanjay Manjrekar told Sports18.
“Just the way the league turned out for him. Hardik Pandya is a changed man now, there's a lot of maturity, responsibility and ambition as well. I see a sense of ambition coming into him. And once you have that, wanting to grow within Indian Cricket then there's tremendous motivation. He's also addressing himself in the third person now. Hardik Pandya has arrived,” Sanjay Manjrekar added.
“The maturity that has come into his cricket is incredible. If you have an all-rounder coming in to bat at No.5 or 6, who can pace the innings, accelerate at any given time and hit the sixes, it’s fantastic,” Sunil Gavaskar said in an interaction with India Today.
“Also, coming in the middle overs when batters are looking to score the runs, bowling those overs and getting wickets, he is doing it brilliantly. It's really good to see Hardik Pandya coming good,” he stated.
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