Asia Cup 2023: Hardik Pandya is 'backbone' of Team India, says Mohammed Kaif

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Former India player Mohammed Kaif has heaped praises on Hardik Pandya for his impact on the Indian team.

Hardik Pandya is a key player in the Indian setup and is tipped to be one of the future captains of the national team. He has already the unofficial reins of the T20 side and is likely to succeed Rohit Sharma as ODI captain in the coming future.

India are up against Sri Lanka in the crucial final of Asia Cup 2023, and Kaif says Pandya's role will be pivotal for them, saying the player always rises in tough situations and bails the team out.

"When India was in trouble against Pakistan, Hardik rose to the occasion and scored 87 runs and built a vital partnership with Ishan Kishan. In the second meeting against Pakistan, he got the prized wicket of Babar Azam. So, he is a match-winner. When the team is in trouble, Hardik bails his side out of the situation. When the top-order collapses, Hardik steps up and plays a match-winning knock. In my eyes, Hardik Pandya is the backbone of this Indian team," Kaif told on Star Sports.

The former India player also had good words for Shubman Gill. The batter scored a century in the Asia Cup against Bangladesh, and is currently the highest scorer in the tournament.

"When you play a multi-national tournament, it is not easy to get the runs. But Shubman Gill was there and played the shots well. He understands how to get maximums or boundaries in a spin-friendly track, how to play the new ball as well as improvise his game towards the fag end of the match. He is turning out to be a terrific player," he added.