New Delhi [India], January 4 : South Africa legend AB de Villiers has heaped praise on India all-rounder Hardik Pandya, describing him as a "big pivotal player" for the Indian team in the upcoming T20 World Cup.
Speaking on his YouTube channel while analysing India's squad composition, de Villiers highlighted the depth and flexibility available to the team.
"There are a lot of players offering skill with both bat and ball so you can really play around with the balance of the squad," he said on AB de Villiers 360.
"Abhishek Sharma upfront, Sanju Samson wicketkeeper. I noted no Rishabh Pant here, no Shubman Gill, no Yashasvi Jaiswal, no Jitesh Sharma, so those are the unlucky guys who missed out," he added.
De Villiers, however, made it clear that Hardik Pandya stands out as a key figure in the side.
"Hardik will be the big pivotal player. He's the guy who can win you games with bat and bowl. He can bowl in any situation, he can bat anywhere in the line up," he said.
The former Proteas captain went on to explain the impact Hardik has on opposition teams.
"When he walks out to bat, there's a sense in the opposition like we need to get him out, we gonna lose the game if he bats for three or four overs," de Villiers remarked.
He added that Hardik's presence is equally threatening with the ball.
"Same with the ball in hand, the minute he comes on, you feel like he has a golden arm and he might just break the partnership, so a great asset for Suryakumar (Yadav) to have in the team," he noted.
Hardik's recent performances have only strengthened that reputation. In the ongoing domestic season, he showcased his explosive batting in the Vijay Hazare Trophy by smashing his maiden List A century. Representing Baroda against Vidarbha, Hardik hammered 133 off just 92 balls, an innings that included eight fours and 11 sixes. One over in particular stood out, where he plundered 34 runs, hitting five consecutive sixes before finishing the over with a boundary.
He also enjoyed an impressive outing in the recently concluded T20I series against South Africa, scoring 142 runs in three innings at an average of 71.00 and a blistering strike rate of 186.84, including two half-centuries.
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