Sunil Gavaskar has drawn parallels between Ravi Shastri and Hardik Pandya, claiming that the latter had the same talent for winning matches as the former did during the 1985 World Championship of Cricket. Gavaskar continued by elaborating on the many ways in which Pandya might affect the outcome of a match for India.
The Indian cricket team, known as the “Men in Blue,” has their sights firmly set on winning the World Twenty20 competition for the first time since 2007. The tournament will begin next month in Australia. Despite displaying enormous potential on many occasions, including a run to the final in 2014, the team has been unable to build on the initial success that it had under the leadership of MS Dhoni. However, this time around, India has the much-required pace bowling all-rounder in their ranks in the shape of Hardik Pandya, who is able to give them the advantage.
In the early part of this year, the young man, who is now 28 years old, excelled tremendously in the Indian Premier League. He led the Gujarat Titans to victory while hitting 487 runs at an average of 44.27. Since then, he has been on a scorching spree in the international arena as well, hitting at amazing rates in the death overs while also scooping up wickets at important points in the match. Because of his achievements, the great former batsman Sunil Gavaskar has compared him to Ravi Shastri in the 1985 World Championship of Cricket. At that tournament, India triumphed as champions by going undefeated throughout all five of its matches.
On the basis of his three half-centuries in five matches and eight wickets at an economy rate of 3.32 runs per over, Shastri became renowned for being voted the player of the tournament and being given the title of “Champion of Champions.’ Gavaskar is certain that Pandya can achieve the same level of success as his previous head coach at the forthcoming showpiece tournament in Australia.
What did Sunil Gavaskar say?
“Yes, I think he could do what Ravi Shastri did in 1985 when Ravi was the best player in the whole tournament with both the bat and the ball and took some good catches,” he was quoted as saying by India Today.
“Don’t forget, at mid-off, he can have some electrifying run-outs as well. Direct hits at the bowler’s end, catching the batter inches short. It’s not just Hardik Pandya’s bowling and batting, but also his fielding, that could turn the game in India’s favour. I won’t be surprised if he is like Ravi Shastri in 1985 if he is like the Champion of Champions,” added Gavaskar.
