'I don't think you can even compare them. Stokes is way ahead': Ex-Pakistan captain's blunt verdict on Hardik Pandya
The former Pakistan captain had a rather straightforward response when asked to compare between Hardik Pandya and England's leading all-rounder Ben Stokes.
Team India faced a four-wicket loss in the first T20I of the three-match series in Mohali on Tuesday. Despite putting a strong total of 208/6 while batting first, India failed to restrict the Aussie batters as the defending world champions chased down the target with four balls to spare. Cameron Green (61) and Matthew Wade (45*) were key to Australia's victory as India's bowling woes – especially in the pace attack – came to fore again.
However, despite the loss, there were a number of positives for India with a major one being Hardik Pandya's splendid innings at no.5. The all-rounder was crucial to the side reaching past the 200-run mark as he smashed seven fours and five sixes en route to an incredible unbeaten 71 off just 30 deliveries. Pandya had also hit three successive sixes in Green's final over of the innings, as fans and former cricketers lauded the India star for a magnificent knock in Mohali.
While many term the 28-year-old all-rounder as one of the best in the business – more so after his return to international cricket earlier this year – former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif has indicated that he would rather wait for the all-rounder to deliver for India on the biggest stage before making a judgment. Talking about Pandya on his official YouTube channel Caught Behind, Latif stated that a comparison with England's leading all-rounder Ben Stokes makes little sense to him, as the latter has played an influential role in winning the ODI World Cup in 2019.
“There's no doubt that he is a very good player but it's a bilateral series. You see such innings in bilateral series. The Asia Cup concluded recently and you have to count those performances too. I'm not talking about today's match, but Ben Stokes is proven. He won the World Cup and he won Test matches for England,” Latif said.
“So, I don't think you can even compare when it comes to (performances) on the ground. Because trophy is a trophy. Ben Stokes is way ahead of Hardik in that. Having said that, yes, some of Hardik's innings have been better than Ben Stokes, but having better innings and being better than Stokes are two completely different things,” the former Pakistan wicketkeeper-batter added.
Pandya will return to action in the second T20I of the series against Australia on September 23, that takes place in Nagpur.
