Hardik Pandya will walk into the T20 World Cup 2026 as India's most reliable all-rounder.
If you are an umpire and Hardik Pandya is on strike, watch out! The Indian all-rounder is one of the hottest properties doing rounds in T20I cricket, and is showing why he is so highly valued. The 32-year-old was in sumptuous form in the 1st IND vs NZ T20I in Nagpur.
Walking out to bat with the team score on 126/3, Hardik Pandya smashed his very first ball from Mitchell Santner for a boundary. However, the ball almost gave the New Zealand skipper and the umpire an injury scare before making its way towards the boundary.
That being said, Santner did get his hands on the ball. But it still ended up going to the boundary – which speaks volumes of the strength behind the shot. India started off strong with the bat, with opener Abhishek Sharma scoring a quickfire 84 off just 34 deliveries.
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The Indian all-rounder will be one of the most reliable commodities for India, walking into the T20 World Cup 2026. His presence provides the hosts with a fine balance, on the back of his equally strong ability with bat and ball.
The 32-year-old Mumbai Indians (MI) skipper has improved a lot since his return from injury. His core strength helps him to enhance his power-hitting skills, which were clearly on display in his knock in the 1st IND vs NZ T20I in Nagpur.
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