‘If he clicks, he'll make the match one-sided’ – Virender Sehwag backs Hardik Pandya to come good in India-Pakistan clash

Former Indian cricketer Virender Sehwag said that Hardik Pandya has the ability to make India’s clash against Pakistan a “one-sided affair” if he gets going with the bat. The veteran backed Pandya to play the game on Sunday, October 24 in Dubai despite the latter still not sure of bowling.

Pandya didn’t bowl a single over for the Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League. Hence, there have been questions on whether or not he should be playing only as a pure batsman. But Sehwag said that Hardik deserves a place in the team because of his power-hitting prowess with the bat.

“He’ll be on my team. The kind of batter he is, if he clicks, he’ll make the match one-sided, and finish it. He has the ability, which he has shown many times. Yes, if he was bowling fit, that would have been the icing on the cake,” Sehwag was quoted as saying in Cricbuzz.

You should go with five bowlers, says Virender Sehwag

Sehwag also reckoned that Team India should pick five bowlers in the game against Babar Azam and Co. The Nawab of Najafgarh admitted that Pandya hasn’t quite clicked with the bat in recent times, but he selected him as his “first pick”.

“You should go with five bowlers plus if Hardik Pandya or someone else from the top-order bowls a few overs, it’ll be the perfect team for me… His batting is surely a concern. If he’s not in form or not batting well in the nets, then you can maybe see another batter, otherwise he’ll be my first pick,” he stated.

The last time when India locked horns with Pakistan in the 2019 World Cup, Hardik showed his class. The right-hander smashed 26 off 19 and helped the Men in Blue post a mammoth score of 336 for five on the board. Back then, Hardik also rolled his arms over for eight overs and picked up the crucial wickets of Mohammad Hafeez and Shoaib Malik.

He also played well in the final of the 2017 Champions Trophy, though his efforts came in a losing cause. In the last three years, Hardik has refrained from bowling a whole lot due to his tussle with frequent injuries.