Ex-Indian wicketkeeper-batsman Saba Karim has made a bold claim about Mumbai Indians’ all-rounder Hardik Pandya. The T20 World Cup is just around the corner and the fans have been speculating the starting eleven for Team India. Along with the fans, even former cricketers and Pundits have been talking about the same. With that being said, Saba Karim is the latest to come out and give his opinion on the matter.
In a recent interview, Saba Karim focused on the importance of all-rounders in the competition. He was talking about how any team needs to have more of them to win. This format is ideally one where a team should have two or three good ones.
With that being said, the name of Hardik Pandya had to come on. He has been one of the key all-round stars that Team India has had in recent times. His form may not have been the best recently. Despite that, the fans and the players know that he is a game-changer.
What Is The Main Reason That The All-Rounder Was Being Talked About?
IPL 2021 was not the best for Hardik Pandya. He had just come back from his surgery a few months ago and was still not bowling. His only contribution to the Mumbai Indians team was with the bat. However, he was not in form and got a few low scores. Due to this, the team struggled in the first half of the IPL tournament.
Keeping that in mind, a lot of fans were not keen on having him in the T20 World Cup side. His brother too was not doing great, though they eventually did find a bit of form. To add to that, his absence in the bowling department (Hardik) was being felt too. Some speculations suggested that he was being saved for the T20 World Cup.
With that being said, Saba Karim stated that if the player can bowl, he can really make a difference with regard to the chances of the Indian team. The former Indian cricketer said told India News, “The Sri Lanka tour will be challenging for the likes of Hardik Pandya. He will have to perform as a batsman. That is because he was struggling on the slow Chennai pitches during the IPL. He will get similar wickets in Sri Lanka. So, whether he can score runs at a good strike rate in such challenging conditions in white-ball cricket.”
“The biggest thing is that India’s chances in the T20 World Cup will be doubled if Hardik Pandya is fit. If he can both bat and bowl throughout the tournament, I feel India’s chances will be extremely bright.”
Can Hardik Pandya Make Such A Huge Impact For The Indian Team?
Hardik Pandya is one of the best all-rounders that Team India has at present. The need for the T20 format is as many all-rounders as possible. Keeping that in mind, a lot of the fans will be hoping that he can make a major impact. The T20 World Cup is a significant tournament now.
Team India will want to win the international tournament, as Virat Kohli still looks to win his first major one. With that being said, it will be interesting to see whether Hardik Pandya and co. can contribute to that goal or not!!
