Lance Klusener backs Hardik Pandya, says Indian all-rounder needs time

He is one of the best all-rounders that the cricketing world has seen. And he decided to stand by Hardik Pandya, the Indian all-rounder who has been facing a strong criticism for his performance, especially in Tests. According to former South African international Lance Klusener, one has to be patient with the 24-year-old all-rounder for at least two years for would require the time to get closer to someone like Ben Stokes.

Pandya had an ordinary Test series in England recently where he couldn’t do much apart from scoring a fifty and picking a five-wicket haul. His poor form in the crucial fourth Test even saw him getting dropped for the final Test at the Oval. Criticism soared against the all-rounder and the comparison between him and the legendary Kapil Dev turned more into a mockery.

‘No reason why Hardik can’t be one of the best all-rounders’

Klusener, 47, who came closest to take South Africa to their first World Cup final in 1999 but failed to break the jinx, said, “Among all current all-rounders in world cricket, Ben Stokes is right up there. There are a few who have come and gone in recent times as well but certainly, a guy like Pandya, give him a year or two at this level, there is no reason why he can’t be one of the best all-rounders out there.” Times of India cited the former all-rounder as being quoted.

Klusener, who scored over 5,000 runs and picked over 270 wickets in international cricket and could be one of the biggest draws had the Indian Premier League been around in his playing days, is currently in Delhi as its senior team’s consultant coach for the Vijay Hazare Trophy.

On comparing Pandya with Dev, Klusener warned against such temptations. “Everybody wants to compare Hardik to the great Kapil Dev. Hardik is his own cricketer. Of course, he has got some learning to do. I guess Hardik’s success will be based on how much he is able to learn,” the former cricketer said.

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