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Last updated on - January 5, 2026, 10:08 AM IST
By
Sruti Thakur
Not Abhishek Sharma or Jasprit Bumrah, star South Africa cricketer names India's 'Key Player' for T20 World Cup 2026, let's take a look at this photo collection to find out about the player.
While analysing India's squad on his YouTube channel, de Villiers spoke about the team’s depth and versatility, "There are a lot of players offering skill with both bat and ball so you can really play around with the balance of the squad," he said on AB de Villiers 360.
De Villiers, made it clear that Hardik Pandya stands out as a key figure in the Indian squad for the World Cup. "Hardik will be the big pivotal player. He's the guy who can win you games with bat and bowl. He can bowl in any situation, he can bat anywhere in the line up," he said.
The former Proteas captain further highlighted the influence Hardik has on opposing teams. "When he walks out to bat, there's a sense in the opposition like we need to get him out, we gonna lose the game if he bats for three or four overs," de Villiers remarked.
De Villiers also said that Hardik's presence is just as threatening with the ball., "Same with the ball in hand, the minute he comes on, you feel like he has a golden arm and he might just break the partnership, so a great asset for Suryakumar (Yadav) to have in the team," he noted.
Hardik is currently playing the Vijay Hazare Trophy where he smashed his maiden List A century, which included eight fours and 11 sixes.
Hardik samshed 34 runs in a single over, hitting five consecutive sixes, while he fininshed the over with a boundary.
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