'He has surpassed even Virat Kohli & Suryakumar Yadav': India's match-winner in T20 World Cup named

The Indian squad for the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 in the US and the Caribbean has been officially announced, and the fans have been talking about it since the unveil. The team has offered a potent 15-man squad and solid travelling reserves. But the inclusion of all-rounder Hardik Pandya has been one of the biggest debates among the fans. His form in the IPL 2024 season has been upsetting, and he has been receiving a lot of backlash from the fans. But Hardik is also receiving some backing to be in the squad, as a legendary Team India cricketer has shown his support towards the Indian all-rounder.

Also Read: 'It's an extremely strong squad': Kumar Sangakkara's insights on potential ICC T20 World Cup winners

Team India veteran backs Hardik Pandya to emerge as the match-winner for India in T20 World Cup

Team India veteran Mohammad Kaif has offered his praise for Hardik Pandya and has backed him up amid the criticism and poor form in the IPL. Kaif reckoned that despite his current form, Hardik will emerge as the Impact Player for Team India and will be levels above than Virat Kohli and Suryakumar Yadav in the prestigious ICC T20 tournament.      

“I consider Hardik Pandya to be the most impactful match winner in ICC events, surpassing even Virat Kohli and Suryakumar Yadav. While Suryakumar Yadav has also participated in ICC events, his record is rather average.

"Let me explain why I hold this view. Recall the India vs Pakistan matches. In Melbourne, Virat Kohli scored 82 runs, but it was Hardik Pandya who forged a crucial 40-run partnership and took three wickets. In the Asia Cup, during the match against Pakistan, Hardik Pandya showcased his finishing prowess by delivering in the final over against Nawaz, rescuing the team after Dinesh Karthik and Jadeja were dismissed. Despite his current form, his track record in ICC events speaks volumes. It's understandable that his recent captaincy role for Mumbai Indians may have posed some challenges," Mohammad Kaid said during the Star Sports Press Room Show.

Also Read: 'PROBLEM OF PLENTY': CSK will run into problems in the playoffs after loss to PBKS, Pathan predicts

India Squad for ICC T20 World Cup: Rohit Sharma (c), Virat Kohli, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Suryakumar Yadav, Sanju Samson (wk), Rishabh Pant (Wwk), Hardik Pandya (vc), Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Shivam Dube, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammad Siraj, Yuzvendra 

Travelling Reserves: Rinku Singh, Shubman Gill, Khaleel Ahmed, Avesh Khan