Former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar believes that the current Indian all-rounders Hardik Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja do not belong to the league of iconic Yuvraj Singh in white-ball cricket. The Southpaw played a pivotal role in India’s victory in the 2007 T20 World Cup and 2011 ODI World Cup.
Ravindra Jadeja and Hardik Pandya have played a crucial role in the Indian team over the last few years, and their ability to offer balance in the playing 11 helped the Indian team to register many memorable victories in recent years. In the ongoing Asia Cup 2023, the pair have made an impact in the group stage of the tournament against Pakistan and Nepal.
During a discussion with Star Sports, Waqar Younis hailed the Indian all-rounders for their impact with both bat and ball in white-ball cricket and praised Hardik Pandya for his brilliance with the bat against arch-rivals in the opening game of the Asia Cup. Younis believes that Pandya is the type of player that any team would love to have at No. 6 in the ODI lineup.
“Look at what Hardik and Jadeja bring to the table. They are well equipped with both bat and ball. Especially Hardik Pandya – the way he batted against Pakistan – I think he is a really destructive batter at No. 6. Any team would love to have someone like him. He is aggressive, and now as we saw in the previous match, he is very sensible and smart,” Waqar Younis said.
In response to the Waqar Younis, Sanjay Manjrekar said that Yuvraj Singh has been the best white-ball cricketer for India and lauded him for his ability to win games for the team and feels that Hardik Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja, in his opinion, aren’t in the same class as the Indian World Cup winner.
“Yuvraj is arguably India’s best white-ball batter. He could win games and was in a different league. Hardik and Jadeja, with due respect, aren’t quite there. These two were far better bowlers than Yuvraj Singh but because that one discipline was so disciplined.”
“Not even Hardik Pandya? With the kind of batting that he has shown? I am not comparing them but the intention is there,” Sanjay Manjrekar said.
Yuvraj Singh has one of the best white-ball cricketers in India. Over the course of his career, the left-handed all-rounder played 304 ODIs and 58 T20Is. He was named Player of the Tournament in the 2011 ODI World Cup in India.
Indian team has performed well in ODIs over the last two years and it was largely due to the balance in the team with all-rounders Hardik Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja chipping in with both bat and ball in crucial junctures to seal some important games for the team and they will crucial for India’s chance in the ODI World Cup.