Asia Cup 2025: ‘Hardik Pandya’s personality is his biggest strength’- Abhishek Nayar on why all-rounder is invaluable

Hardik Pandya was one of the stars of India's 2024 T20 World Cup win.

Given his leadership abilities in limited-overs cricket and his all-around contributions with bat and ball, former India assistant coach Abhishek Nayar thinks that all-rounder Hardik Pandya is still a vital member of the Indian side.

Pandya was included in India's 2025 Asia Cup squad, where he is anticipated to be a vital member of the team as their best all-around player, able to change the tide for the Men in Blue when necessary. Nayar emphasized how crucial Pandya may be in the forthcoming competition.

“An absolutely invaluable player for Indian cricket—and when you look at world cricket, how many players do you really have who can bowl with the new ball, bowl at the death, deliver four overs consistently, and also play impact knocks against both spin and pace? He’s an absolute game-changer.

I think more than anything, his biggest strength is his personality. Just sitting there in the dressing room or the dugout, and knowing that when he’s out in the middle, there’s always an assurance that something remarkable can happen,” Nayar said on Star Sports.

Hardik Pandya was the star in India’s T20 World Cup 2024 win, and his medium-pace bowling has brought great balance to the Indian team, enabling them to play three spinners if needed. Over the years, Pandya has firmly established himself as one of India’s most valuable players.

“We are the current world champions also because of those overs he bowled under pressure. Not only with the bat but also with the ball, he has consistently shown his ability to deliver in tough situations,” Nayar stated.

Hardik Pandya was the India T20I and ODI captain in the absence of Rohit Sharma. However, he was replaced by Suryakumar Yadav after the Rohit Sharma-Virat Kohli era ended. And now with Shubman Gill as vice-captain, Hardik Pandya is out of official leadership talks.

Still, Nayar believes his presence in the team carries the weight of leadership, irrespective of formal titles.

“He definitely brings leadership to the group. He will always be a leader, whether he’s the captain or not. And like I said, more than just a cricketer, it’s his personality and the aura he brings to the team that matters a lot to these young players,” he said.

Hardik Pandya has 1812 runs and 94 wickets in 114 T20Is for India.