"He is India's most valuable player in white-ball cricket" - Aakash Chopra lauds star player's performance in IND vs NZ 2025 Champions Trophy clash

Former India player Aakash Chopra has lauded Hardik Pandya for his all-round performance in the Men in Blue's 2025 Champions Trophy clash against New Zealand. He opined that the seam-bowling all-rounder is India's most valuable player in white-ball cricket.

Hardik scored a run-a-ball 45 as India set New Zealand a 250-run target in the final group game of the 2025 Champions Trophy in Dubai on Sunday, March 2. The right-arm seamer then delivered a spell of 1/22 in four overs as the Men in Blue bowled the Kiwis out for 205 to register a 44-run win.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra', the former India opener praised Hardik for once again delivering in a crunch situation after Axar Patel (42 off 61) had bailed the side out of trouble in Shreyas Iyer's (79 off 98) company.

"If there is a clutch player, it's Hardik Pandya. I am saying he is India's most valuable player in white-ball cricket. Axar Patel also played a good knock. There was a question about why he was promoted as KL Rahul could have been sent if the batting was coming in the powerplay," he said (10:50).

"That discussion is now for later because the guy (Axar) batted well and didn't allow a collapse to happen and took the team deep. After that, Hardik Pandya came. He didn't score a fifty. If someone says that he doesn't allow others to score 50 or 100, he doesn't score it himself at times. This was just a joke. I had seen a meme somewhere," Chopra added.

The cricketer-turned-commentator pointed out that Hardik ensured he batted till the 50th over and took India to a defendable total.

"There was pressure but he bats with the tail. He stayed till the end. One or two shots were fantastic. He hit (Kyle) Jamieson over cover and then over midwicket, and just keeps taking the game deep. He is not doing this for the first time. Whenever there is pressure, he is the guy who stands up and gets counted, and does it eight or nine times out of 10," Chopra elaborated.

Hardik Pandya walked out to bat when India were reduced to 172/5 at the fall of Shreyas Iyer's wicket in India's 2025 Champions Trophy clash against New Zealand. He added 41 runs for the seventh wicket with Ravindra Jadeja (16 off 20) and 23 runs for the eighth wicket with Mohammed Shami (5 off 8) after KL Rahul was dismissed for a 29-ball 23.

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"Hardik is that clutch player who brings balance" - Aakash Chopra on India replacing Harshit Rana with Varun Chakaravathy in 2025 Champions Trophy clash against New Zealand

Hardik Pandya used the new ball in India's 2025 Champions Trophy clash against New Zealand. [P/C: Getty]

In the same video, Aakash Chopra pointed out that Hardik Pandya's presence allowed India to leave out Harshit Rana from their playing XI in their 2025 Champions Trophy clash against New Zealand.

"Hardik is that clutch player who brings balance. You couldn't have dropped Harshit Rana if Hardik hadn't been in your team because no matter how much help might be there on the pitch (for the spinners), you want to play with two fast bowlers. You need to have at least two options," he said (12:05).

The analyst added that Hardik provided India an early breakthrough by dismissing Rachin Ravindra when Mohammed Shami was seemingly not at his best.

"He is the only one who provides that. After that, Shami was looking a little off-color. Who dismissed Rachin Ravindra - Hardik Pandya. He gave you the initial breakthrough and scored runs earlier. Hardik Pandya is India's clutch player. He is India's most valuable player in white-ball cricket, trust me," Chopra observed.

Hardik Pandya had Rachin Ravindra brilliantly caught by Axar Patel at third man for a 12-ball six. The Indian spinners, Varun Chakaravarthy (5/42) in particular, then ran through the Kiwi batting lineup to seal a semi-final clash against Australia in the 2025 Champions Trophy.