"You can play him at No. 4 also and at No. 6 as well" - Sanjay Bangar says Hardik Pandya is an extremely versatile player

Sanjay Bangar believes Hardik Pandya is an extremely versatile player who can be used in multiple roles by Team India based on the match situation.

Hardik staged a comeback to the Indian team for the T20I series against South Africa based on his exploits in IPL 2022. Although the Gujarat Titans (GT) skipper batted primarily at No. 3 or No. 4 for his franchise in the recently-concluded league, he was played as a finisher in the first T20I against the Proteas.

During an interaction on the Star Sports show 'Follow the Blues', Sanjay Bangar was asked if Hardik was the biggest positive for Team India from the first T20I, considering that he excelled in a role different from the one he played in the IPL. He responded:

"He is an extremely versatile player who has worked very well on his game's foundation. You can play him at No. 4 also and at No. 6 as well."

The former Indian batting coach pointed out why Hardik has been able to mold his game as per the demands of the situation. Bangar explained:

"Whenever I used to talk to Hardik, he used to always say that he wants to have a good foundation, he always paid a lot of attention to that. That is a transformation. When your game is sorted out, you can mold your game according to every situation."

Hardik Pandya showcased his ability to build an innings during IPL 2022. The Baroda all-rounder was more conservative in his batting approach and left the late-order big-hitting job to the likes of David Miller, Rahul Tewatia and Rashid Khan.

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"He has shared experiences and built partnerships with MS Dhoni" - Sanjay Bangar on Hardik Pandya as a finisher

Hardik Pandya is renowned for his big-hitting game [P/C: BCCI]

Sanjay Bangar added that Hardik's experience of playing as a finisher with the likes of MS Dhoni holds him in good stead. He observed:

"He (Hardik) is a player who has played the finisher's role for a very long time for the Indian team. He has shared experiences and built partnerships with MS Dhoni and other lower-order batters. So I feel he is a versatile player."

Hardik has primarily batted at the No. 5 to No. 7 positions for Team India. However, he has enjoyed success in the three innings he has played at No. 4, having scored 84 runs at an outstanding strike rate of 254.54.