Hardik Pandya is the next Kapil Dev says Lalchand Rajput

Hardik Pandya has been one of the best performers for the Indian team in the last six months or so. He has performed very well for the team and earned a lot of praise. Hardik has been a sensation of a kind. Some think he is the best all-rounder India has produced since Kapil Dev.

Hardik Pandya showed his class again during the first ODI against the Aussies. He scored a brilliant 83 off 66 deliveries in which he bludgeoned Zampa for three back to back sixes. He played the waiting game and took India out of their misery with MS Dhoni. This saw him earn a lot of praise from former cricketers.

Lalchand Rajput was one of them when he said that Hardik Pandya is an ideal all-rounder. He was full of praise for Hardik Pandya as he explained why is lethal in all formats of the game. Rajput also said that he is the next best thing after Kapil Dev.

Rajput goes back in time

Lalchand Rajput talked about how Pandya loved to hit the ball out of the park and also used to get out early. The former Indian cricketer also said that he used to tell him to work on his shot selection. He also said that more time on the crease will improve him substantially.

“He [Hardik] just loved [to hit the ball] it. And get out. Now he has become mature. I always used to tell him proper shot selection will take you higher. The more he plays, he is getting more matured and becoming a reliable lower-order batsman,” he said while talking to PTI.

The Kapil Dev comment

Hardik Pandya is a showstopper. He has played some magnificent innings for India but Rajput has seen him from his zonal days. He said that Pandya is an exceptional talent and is an “ideal all-rounder after Kapil Dev.”

Rajput said, “Hardik Pandya is an exceptional cricketer. The talent he has got, I have seen him at the NCA [National Cricket Academy] and then he was with me at the Zonal Camp [ZCA]. He has got tremendous talent. He is an ideal all-rounder after Kapil Dev.”

On the current ODI series

India have got off to a great start by registering a thumping win over the Aussies in the first ODI. Australia has always been a good side no matter what the circumstances are and they will surely bounce back. India has to be ready with for that as well. Rajput also talked about some similar things.

He said, “Australians are tough nuts to crack but we [India] have got the momentum. The Indian team is playing top-class cricket and it is difficult to beat them.”