"The playing eleven is incomplete without him" - Mohammad Kaif’s massive praise for Team India star after IND vs SA 2025 5th T20I

Former cricketer Mohammad Kaif lavished praise on Hardik Pandya after India's T20I series victory over South Africa on Friday, December 19, in Ahmedabad. Kaif opined that any playing XI is incomplete without Pandya and that it will be incredibly difficult to find an all-rounder like him.

The 32-year-old crafted a game-changing knock on Friday. Coming in the 13th over of the innings, Pandya smashed 63 off 25 deliveries and added 105 runs with Tilak Varma to propel the hosts to a match-winning total of 231 in 20 overs. Although the all-rounder leaked 41 runs in three overs, he picked up the crucial scalp of Dewald Brevis.

Speaking in a recent video on his YouTube channel 'Mohammad Kaif,' he conceded that it was a tricky situation for India when Suryakumar Yadav perished in the 13th over but observed how Pandya batted with complete freedom. He said:

"Try what you may but you’ll never find an all-rounder like Hardik Pandya. If Pandya is injured, the playing eleven is incomplete without him. There’s no batter or bowler like him. Pandya has proved he is a bona fide all-rounder. Whether it’s the final over of the World Cup, he wins you the match. If it’s a match against Pakistan, he takes wickets. In the third T20I, he started off with a flat six. The captain was out and the team is in a tricky situation with the score at 113 in the 13th over of the innings. But the way he batted was outstanding to watch."

The Baroda-born cricketer had played a match-winning knock of 58 in the first T20I in Cuttack on a tricky pitch, as India had won by 101 runs after amassing a total of 175.

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"Whenever he bats, he creates an impact" - Mohammad Kaif on Hardik Pandya

Hardik Pandya. (Image Credits: BCCI X)

In the same video, Kaif opined that Pandya is arguably the most valuable player in the Indian team, adding:

"It’s not easy. When Pandya doesn’t play, India misses him a lot. You have bowlers but hardly anyone bowls at 135 to 140 clicks. No bowler bowls with as much pace and he takes wickets, whether it be the old or new ball. Whenever he bats, he creates an impact. He is an impact batter and is the most valuable player, especially in the middle overs. Pandya scored the second-fastest fifty after Yuvraj Singh. Yuvraj had scored it in 2007 and Pandya scored the second-fastest fifty now. If there’s an all-rounder, it must be like Hardik Pandya."

India's next T20I series is against New Zealand, beginning January 21.

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Edited by Parag Jain