Hardik Pandya has consistently proven why he’s considered one of the finest white-ball all-rounders in the game. In the fourth T20I against England, he played a match-changing knock of 53 runs, helping India reach over 180 runs, which ultimately played a significant role in securing a 15-run victory. Former India batter Mohammad Kaif believes there is no other player in the country like Hardik, he called him the “backbone” of the Indian team.
Hardik Pandya’s Tough Journey
The journey of the 31-year-old all-rounder over the last two years has been quite a roller-coaster ride. He was announced as the captain of Mumbai Indians before IPL 2024, but the fans were not happy with his appointment over Rohit Sharma, and he was booed at the Wankhede Stadium. However, Hardik turned the tide in his favor by taking India to T20 World Cup victory, which won over the same crowd that once jeered him.
Also Read: Hardik Pandya Ignored For Vice-Captaincy: What Went Wrong For India’s Star All-Rounder?
Hardik Pandya Brutally Booed In IPL
“People were after Hardik Pandya’s life during IPL 2024. He faced a lot of brickbats; fans booed him at the Wankhede Stadium. He never spoke about his pain. He is the same player who bowled the final over of the T20 World Cup final to hand India the trophy. He cried his heart out after making India win. He never showed his emotions during the IPL when Mumbai Indians weren’t performing well,” Kaif said in a video posted on his X handle.
Hardik Pandya ‘Backbone’ Of Team India
“He got injured in Pune during the 2023 ODI World Cup. You didn’t get a replacement for him. No player could have replaced him. Mohammed Shami bowled well, but India had only 7 batters and 4 bowlers. There was no eighth batter. Hardik Pandya is the backbone of this team. When he is injured, there is no replacement to be found,” he added.
Think Hardik Pandya deserves captaincy. India's most valuable white-ball player, genuine finisher, World Cup hero and not getting impacted by stadium abuse. Sub ko chup kara diya, True leader.#CricketwithKaif11 #TeamIndia pic.twitter.com/zJr4VPblg8
— Mohammad Kaif (@MohammadKaif) February 1, 2025
Hardik Pandya Not Even Considered For Vice-Captaincy
Despite expectations that Hardik would assume the T20I captaincy after Rohit Sharma’s retirement from the shortest format, the job instead went to Suryakumar Yadav. Hardik, surprisingly, was not even named vice-captain in this move, which has left many questioning the decision.
“He scores runs when the team needs it. He takes the wickets when the teams needs it. Hardik Pandya played cameos in every match of the T20 World Cup. He is not the captain right now. Do you think he doesn’t feel bad? Isn’t he human, and doesn’t he feel anything? He is not even the vice-captain of this Indian team,” said Kaif.
There is No Player Like Hardik Pandya
“He is the captain of Mumbai Indians. He won the IPL with Gujarat Titans and then reached the final. But he isn’t the captain of the Indian team. Suryakumar Yadav is the captain. Hardik is doing his role to the best of his ability. Hardik Pandya always gives his best. You cannot find anyone with his skill set when he gets injured. I think you don’t have a player like Hardik Pandya. In the population of 1.4 billion, there is only one genuine all-rounder, and that is Hardik Pandya,” he added.
Kaif can well believe that Hardik will feel disappointed by this development, especially in the light of his rich leadership record in the IPL. Moreover, Kaif also said he rarely shows his emotions, but he must be feeling the pinch of not being provided with the job of captaincy despite remaining as fiercely committed to giving his best for the team.
