Hardik Pandya’s Test career may have been repeatedly disrupted by fitness concerns, but in white-ball cricket, his value to Team India remains unquestionable. Time and again, the all-rounder has proven why he is regarded as a rare asset — someone who can change the course of a match with the bat, deliver crucial overs with the ball, and lift the team’s intensity with his athletic fielding.

In modern limited-overs cricket, players like Pandya are not just valuable; they are irreplaceable. One of the clearest reminders of his importance came during the final of the 2024 T20 World Cup. With pressure at its peak and the game hanging by a thread, Pandya was trusted with the final over — and he delivered.

Moments like those define elite all-rounders, and it is precisely why former India opener Aakash Chopra believes India simply cannot function at full strength without him. “Team India is incomplete without Hardik Pandya. There is only one Hardik in the entire world,” Chopra said while speaking on JioHotstar. He emphasised that no other Indian player offers the same balance of power-hitting, seam bowling and flexibility across phases of the game.

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According to Aakash Chopra, while India may want an extra spinner like Varun Chakaravarthy or Kuldeep Yadav in the XI, that immediately creates a problem lower down the order. “You can’t field twelve players. Only Hardik gives you a batter at No.8 and a genuine bowling option,” he explained.

Aakash Chopra further highlighted Pandya’s versatility with the ball, noting that he can operate with the new ball, bowl effectively in the middle overs, and handle high-pressure death overs — a rare combination in international cricket. His ability to deliver under pressure, especially in big matches, sets him apart from the rest.

With the T20 World Cup set to begin on February 7, India will be aiming to become the first team in history to successfully defend the title. Ahead of that challenge, the five-match T20I series against New Zealand is of immense importance. Aakash Chopra believes this series will be crucial in helping Suryakumar Yadav and the team management finalise combinations amid ongoing injury and form concerns.

He pointed out that New Zealand are expected to field their strongest T20 World Cup squad, making the series an ideal test before the marquee event. Questions around team balance, the number of pacers versus spinners, and batting depth need immediate answers.

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Aakash Chopra also praised Abhishek Sharma’s rapid rise, stating that the left-hander now carries a genuine “fear factor” in T20 cricket, similar to what Rohit Sharma once commanded at the top. Meanwhile, for captain Suryakumar Yadav, Chopra advised a slight tactical tweak — suggesting he play straighter early in his innings before unleashing his trademark 360-degree strokeplay.