Hardik Pandya has established himself as India's most valuable player in white-ball cricket for an extended period. His unique contributions as a seam bowler and an aggressive middle-order batsman are exceptional. During the Champions Trophy 2025, Pandya took on multiple roles for the Indian team. Initially, he served as a defensive third seamer in the first two league matches, aiming to restrict the opposition's scoring during the middle overs. However, as the tournament progressed to its critical stages, he partnered with Mohammed Shami to share the new ball, as India opted to include four spinners in their lineup. As a batsman, he was assigned the role of India's finisher, entering the game at No. 7 to deliver vital performances under pressure, particularly in the semi-final against Australia and the final against New Zealand.

Former Pakistani cricketers Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Hafeez have expressed their belief that Pandya consistently exceeds expectations whenever he steps onto the field. Akhtar, known as the Rawalpindi Express, remarked that while Pandya may not compare to fast bowling legends like Brett Lee, Waqar Younis, or Javagal Srinath, he effectively fulfills his role due to the confidence instilled in him.

"Hardik Pandya is not a Malcolm Marshall or Waqar Younis. He is not on the level of Javagal Srinath or Brett Lee. It's all about his mindset. You give him the new ball, and he performs. You ask him to bowl in the middle overs, and he delivers. However, he is not the most powerful hitter either. He has been given the belief that the world is his stage, and the market allows him to shine," Akhtar stated on 'Game on Hai.'

The former Pakistani fast bowler noted that the type of hitting Pandya exhibits was commonplace in the teams he played for in the early 2000s, particularly with players like Abdul Razzaq. "This kind of hitting was typical in our team. He is indeed talented, but such hitting was a standard in the Pakistan team."

‘Abdul Razzaq better than Hardik Pandya’

Former Pakistan captain Mohammad Hafeez concurred with Akhtar, asserting that Abdul Razzaq surpassed Hardik in terms of performance.

"I share his viewpoint. If you examine Abdul Razzaq's achievements, he stands out as a superior and more accomplished player. Unfortunately, the system did not support him adequately, and he himself did not fully capitalize on his potential. From my observations, Razzaq was indeed more impressive than the current version of Hardik," Hafeez remarked.

Akhtar recalled Razzaq's remarkable unbeaten 109 runs off just 7 balls against South Africa in Dubai in 2010, where the all-rounder single-handedly secured victory for Pakistan.

"He was versatile, having been asked to open the innings, bat in the middle order, and even play lower down the order. He fulfilled every role, yet he did not receive the recognition he deserved until that match against South Africa, where he triumphed on his own. I was at the other end during that innings. I defended a full toss, and he instructed me not to lift my bat. I assured him I wouldn’t. He was striking the ball with such power that I feared it would come straight through me if it came my way. Yet, we failed to give him the respect he warranted, just as we overlooked Azhar Mahmood, who was also an exceptional performer with the ball," Akhtar stated.

"That was the finest match I have ever witnessed. We were defeated both mentally and physically, but Razzaq managed to win it single-handedly," Hafeez added.

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