Former India all-rounder <a href="https://www.mid-day.com/sports/cricket/article/ind-vs-sa-1st-t20i-sanjay-bangar-backs-jitesh-sharma-to-take-finisher-role-instead-of-sanju-samson-23606978" rel="nofollow">Sanjay Bangar</a> highlighted all-rounder Hardik Pandya&rsquo;s role in the ongoing T20I series against South Africa, saying there is no other player like him.&nbsp;
After missing two months owing to a quadricep injury sustained during the Asia Cup, Pandya marked his return to the Indian side in style on Tuesday, smashing an unbeaten 59 off 28 balls.
&ldquo;Look at all the all-rounders in world cricket now. Does England have a backup for <a href="https://www.mid-day.com/sports/cricket/article/eng-vs-aus-2nd-test-skipper-ben-stokes-demands-players-to-toughen-up-after-england-loss-in-brisbane-23606874" rel="nofollow">Ben Stokes</a>? No. In one-day or even Test cricket, there is no backup for Ravindra Jadeja. It is the same with Hardik Pandya. He can command a spot in the top five on his batting alone. He could also be one of the top three seamers in any team if he was just a bowler,&rdquo; Bangar told JioStar.
&ldquo;The point is, to be that kind of all-rounder, you must earn your place with your batting and also with your bowling. There is no other player like Hardik Pandya in the Indian team,&rdquo; he added.
Regarding Pandya&rsquo;s workload management, Bangar said he anticipates the all-rounder playing in the first three of the five T20Is vs SA. &ldquo;We need to see how he copes. Playing in the SMAT (<a href="https://www.mid-day.com/sports/cricket/article/syed-mushtaq-ali-trophy-ajinkya-rahane-slams-unbeaten-95-as-mumbai-crush-odisha-by-9-wkts-23606869" rel="nofollow">Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy</a>) is different from the intensity of an international game. The team management must manage the workload of important players like him. So, if needed, we must do that for Hardik too. A fit Hardik Pandya allows the team to play its desired combination, especially with the spin options we have. That&rsquo;s why his presence is critically vital,&rdquo; he said.
210.71 Hardik Pandya&rsquo;s strike-rate vs SA on Tuesday; his 59 not out had four sixes and six fours
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IND vs SA T20Is: After missing two months owing to a quadricep injury sustained during the Asia Cup, Hardik Pandya marked his return to the Indian side in style

IND vs SA T20Is: Sanjay Bangar heaps praise on Team India's all-rounder Hardik Pandya

Ashes: Injured pacers Wood, Hazlewood ruled out

After missing two months owing to a quadricep injury sustained during the Asia Cup, Pandya marked his return to the Indian side in style on Tuesday, smashing an unbeaten 59 off 28 balls.

IND vs SA T20Is | 'Hardik’s presence is critical for Team India': Sanjay Bangar

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