Former Australian captain Ian Chappell has said Hardik Pandya will be India's trump card when they face sterner tests against "extremely competitive opponents" of the likes of Australia and South Africa in overseas conditions.
The 74-year-old wrote in his column for ESPNCricinfo that Pandya has the potential to do what Kapil Dev did during his heydays for the Indian cricket team.
Pandya has had a tremendous start to his international career, thanks to a free hand he was given at his Indian Premier League side, Mumbai Indians. The Baroda all-rounder rose to prominence during IPL 2015 when he showcased his big-hitting ability and handy medium-pace bowling.
The young all-rounder has grown into an indispensable member of the Indian team with his consistent performances in the recent past. His heroics in the Champions Trophy and the tour to West Indies that followed the ICC event forced skipper Virat Kohli and the team management to hand him a Test cap during India's tour to Sri Lanka in August-September.
Pandya repaid the faith his captain showed in him by smashing his maiden Test century in the third and final Test of the three-match series in the island nation.
The 24-year-old took his game to the next level during the recently-concluded limited-overs series against Australia.
Pandya, not only single-handedly won matches for India against the world champions, but with his consistent performances gave his captain the freedom to tinker with his line-up. Also, for the first time since Pandya's ODI debut, Kohli gave him full quota of 10 overs on consecutive occasions during the Australia series.
Chappell said Pandya could play a more important role in Tests than in limited-overs. The South Australian added the "confident" big-hitting all-rounder will be a match-winner if he is ready to be flexible in alien conditions.
"Pandya is a huge hit with the fans and was partly responsible for India dominating Australia in the recent ODI series. However, his biggest influence on the team could come in the Test arena," Chappell wrote.
He added: "A player like Pandya, who has the ability to bat in the top six and also produce deliveries clocked at 140kph gives a Test side the flexibility that leads to success under all conditions. It affords India the opportunity to field a balanced attack of five bowlers no matter what the conditions.
"For India to be regarded as a truly great side, they need to perform well under tough conditions and against extremely competitive opponents like Australia and South Africa. If Pandya can adapt his bowling to succeed in those cauldrons - and there's no reason he can't - then India, with a strong batting line-up, are more likely to experience consistent overseas success."
Chappell urges Pandya to go Javed Miandad's way
Chappell also opined that a player like Pandya will face the heat from the crowd when he tours Australia. However, he also shed light on what the all-rounder could do to take inspiration and not get bogged down because of the extra pressure Down Under.
"The other challenge Pandya will face - especially in Australia - is the needling high-profile players receive from the crowds. This can have the effect of being either an inspiration or an imposition, and the way Pandya handles the intense barracking will contribute to either his success or failure," Chappell wrote.
He added: "If he needs inspiration in this regard he only need look to former star Pakistan batsman Javed Miandad, who could be as annoying as a shovel grating on cement, and was constantly heckled in Australia, but this only made him more determined."
