NZ vs IND 2022: "Hardik is obviously a superstar of the game"- Kane Williamson

NZ vs IND 2022: New Zealand captain Kane Williamson applauded India all-rounder Hardik Pandya for his impact as an all-rounder, especially after returning from injury. However, Pandya won the IPL in his first season as captain with the Gujarat Titans (GT) and also impressed everyone with his captaincy, captaining Team India in the T20Is against Ireland. The experienced will once again lead the Indian team in the upcoming T20Is against New Zealand beginning on November 18.

In a press conference prior to the series, New Zealand captain Kane Williamson had to say about Hardik Pandya as an all-rounder as well as a leader.

“Hardik is obviously a superstar of the game and I have played a lot against him. He is one of the most sought-after match-winners, given the fact that he is an all-rounder. He has also had a lot of success in the IPL. In terms of leadership for India, they have a lot of experience and the guidance of the likes of Rohit and Virat will be very helpful for them,” Kane Williamson said.

However, a few big players like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have been rested for the New Zealand series. Meanwhile, Pandya will have quite a few fresh faces to work with. And, Kane Williamson isn’t underestimating the Indian team as he is well aware of the depth of talent that Indian cricket has.

While talking about this, Kane Williamson stated: “I know all the players that are involved and I think India is a side that has an incredible amount of depth and we have seen that in international cricket. There are some new faces, but a lot of them if not all of them have played international cricket. The talent and skill in this side is clear for everybody to see and we know that they are a formidable side.”

All eyes will be on how Hardik Pandya takes the T20I team forward in the upcoming series with a rebuild likely to take place for the next T20 World Cup in 2024.