Michael Vaughan opens up on Hardik Pandya’s tactical game sense

Hardik Pandya’s stature as a leader has risen leaps and bounds in the last year or so. He showcased brilliant leadership skills in the 2022 season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) and piloted Gujarat Titans to an IPL title triumph. He also displayed his leadership credentials in the international circuit and led India to many glorious triumphs.

Hardik has also been magnificent as a leader in the ongoing edition of the cash-rich league and has shepherded the Gujarat Titans to yet another IPL final. Former England international Michael Vaughan is really impressed with Hardik’s progress in the last couple of years and stated that he has all the capability to lead India in white-ball cricket in the near future.

“Hardik Pandya is going to captain India. I can convince all of you listening to this, that he is going to captain India. I don’t know when it is going to be. He will captain India in white-ball cricket. He has got the calmness, he has got the game. I’m worried about his injury to his back, but he has just got that person right in the middle,” Vaughan stated while talking to Cricbuzz.

“You can see his body language. The way he maneuvers his field calmly. The way he makes his bowling changes. Yes, he has got two outstanding spinners and Mohammed Shami, who has been the best seamer in the tournament. You need bowlers as a captain. He has got that midas touch you need to be an outstanding white-ball captain,” Vaughan added.

Notably, Hardik currently has won more than 70% of the matches he has led in the IPL, which eventually is even better than the legendary CSK skipper MS Dhoni. On Sunday, May 28, he will be leading GT in their successive final in the competition and can become the third captain after MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma to win the trophy in back-to-back years.