Former India assistant coach Abhishek Nayar reckons that star all-rounder Hardik Pandya remains an invaluable asset to Team India, considering his all-round performance with both bat and ball, along with leadership qualities in white ball cricket.
Hardik was named in India's 15-member squad for the Asia Cup 2025, where he is expected to play a crucial role as the team's all-rounder. He is capable of shifting the momentum of the game with his hard-hitting skills and bowling.
“An absolutely invaluable player for Indian cricket—and when you look at world cricket, how many players do you really have who can bowl with the new ball, bowl at the death, deliver four overs consistently, and also play impact knocks against both spin and pace? He’s an absolute game changer,” Nayar said on Star Sports.
“I think more than anything, his biggest strength is his personality. Just sitting there in the dressing room or the dugout, and knowing that when he’s out in the middle, there’s always an assurance that something remarkable can happen,” he added.
Over the years, Pandya has evolved himself as India's most valuable player. He played a crucial role in India’s 2024 T20 World Cup triumph was a defining one, especially as he bowled the last over in the nail-biting final to seal the title and end the team’s 11-year wait for an ICC trophy.
“We are the current world champions also because of those overs he bowled under pressure. Not only with the bat, but with the ball as well, he has consistently shown his ability to deliver in tough situations,” Nayar pointed out.
Asia Cup 2025 schedule
Asia Cup 2025 is scheduled to start from September 9, and the tournament's opener clash will take place between Afghanistan and Hong Kong. Team India will start their campaign the next day against the UAE at the Dubai International Stadium in Dubai. India will face Pakistan in their second outing of the tournament on September 14 at the same venue.
India's Asia Cup 2025 squad
Surya Kumar Yadav (c), Shubman Gill (vc), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Sanju Samson (wk), Harshit Rana, Rinku Singh
Standbys: Prasidh Krishna, Washington Sundar, Riyan Parag, Dhruv Jurel, Yashasvi Jaiswal