Ravi Shastri Once Said Hardik Pandya Would Win Test Matches Abroad For India, Ex IND Bowling Coach R Sridhar Reveals

'His strength is he played cricket because he love the sport. He absolutely enjoyed playing cricket, whether it was batting, bowling, fielding'- R Sridhar.

New Delhi: It’s nothing new to Indian cricket fans what Hardik Pandya brings to any side he plays. In the shortest format of the game, he is a big asset both with the bat and the ball and it makes him easily as one of the best all-rounders in the world. Former bowling coach R Sridhar reveals, how ex head coach Ravi Shastri knew about Pandya’s abilities and tipped him to be the man who would win test matches abroad for the Men in Blue.

“We saw him as an out-and-out match-winner in the Indian team. Ravi bhai saw his potential even before he made his debut for India. He was like, ‘he is the boy who will win us Test matches abroad’. He knew that Hardik was a missing link for India abroad, an all-rounder who can crack a 140+. So, we all knew what Hardik could bring to the team. Straightaway, Hardik started learning lessons from Mahi, Rohit, Virat. We all knew what he bring to the table,” Sridhar told in an interaction with cricket.com.

His strength is he played cricket because he love the sport. He absolutely enjoyed playing cricket, whether it was batting, bowling, fielding. We didn’t see any perceived weakness in him,” the former coach further added.

The 28-year old Pandya has so far featured in only 11 test matches, scoring at an average of 31, with 1 hundred and 4 half-centuries. He has scalped 17 wickets along the way.

Hardik has been rested for the ongoing T20I series against South Africa, ahead of the T20I World Cup.