JP Duminy drops eye-catching prediction for Border-Gavaskar Trophy, offers crucial advice to Hardik Pandya
Former South Africa all-rounder JP Duminy has predicted the scoreline of the high-profile Border-Gavaskar Trophy between India and Australia. The Paarl Royals head coach also lauded Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya during the recently concluded media interaction.
Continuing his evolution in white-ball cricket, all-rounder Hardik Pandya guided Team India to an impressive T20I series win over New Zealand. While Team India completed a 3-0 whitewash of New Zealand under the leadership of Indian skipper Rohit Sharma in One Day Internationals (ODIs), Pandya propelled the hosts to a 2-1 series win over the Black Caps in the shortest format.
After leading India to another T20I series win, an in-form Pandya was asked about his future in the longest and oldest format of the game. The white-ball maverick expressed his reservations about making an immediate return to Test cricket in the World Cup year. Though Pandya has opted to prioritise white-ball cricket, his former Mumbai Indians (MI) teammate and ex-South Africa all-rounder JP Duminy has urged the star all-rounder to become India's next all-format player.
Speaking to Hindustan Times during a special media interaction organised by SA20, the former South Africa all-rounder opined that Pandya possesses the ability to become an all-format great. “I'm always gonna be an advocate for all formats. I think if a player has the ability to influence the game and the player, you referring to Hardik, obviously, I've played with him as well. I think he has the ability to really be a great player for India across all formats. Now the reasoning for - why he is prioritising white-ball, I would not know but I would certainly encourage him to do all (formats), ” Duminy told Hindustan Times.
All-rounder Pandya has played 11 Test matches for Team India. The 29-year-old last played a Test match for Rohit and Co. in 2018 at Southampton. Duminy, who represented South Africa in 46 Test matches from 2008 to 2017, was also asked to predict the scoreline of the high-profile Border-Gavaskar Trophy between India and Australia. Duminy reckoned that the Baggy Greens are the team to beat in the second edition of the ICC World Test Championship.
Backing visitors Australia to record a 2-1 series win over India, the Paarl Royals head coach has also tipped opener Usman Khawaja to emerge as the Player of the Series. “I see it as a very close series, but I genuinely think that Australia stand a good chance. They certainly have been the team to beat. I feel it would be 2-1 to Australia and the Player of The Series for me would be Usman Khawaja,” he concluded. With 1275 runs to his name, Australia's Khawaja is the leading run-getter in Test cricket since 2022. The star batter has an impressive batting average of 79.7 in the second edition of the ICC World Test Championship. Rohit-led India will cross swords with Australia in the 1st Test of the four-match series at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium on Thursday.