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Former India fast bowler Varun Aaron has offered a detailed technical insight into what makes Hardik Pandya a unique batting force in India’s T20I setup. Speaking ahead of the five-match T20I series between India and New Zealand, Aaron pointed to two specific biomechanical aspects that allow Pandya to generate explosive power without compromising balance or control.
Varun Aaron names technical traits which makes Hardik Pandya a unique player
India and New Zealand are set to lock horns in the opening T20I in Nagpur on Wednesday, January 21, with Pandya entering the series in impressive touch. Aaron, while analysing Pandya’s batting during India’s recent T20I outings, noted the all-rounder’s tendency to plant his back foot deep inside the crease — a trait that immediately caught the former pacer’s attention.
According to Aaron, this positioning gives Pandya an added fraction of time against pace bowling, allowing his hands to come through the hitting zone quicker than most batters. That split second, he explained, often proves decisive in T20 cricket, where reaction time and bat speed can define the outcome of an innings.
“That’s obviously something which sets him apart. Gives him that extra second to bring those fast hands through. The second thing that distinguishes him from all the other batters in this Indian team is his ability to do two things,” said Aaron on Star Sports.
Aaron further elaborated on what he believes truly separates Pandya from the rest of India’s batting line-up. He highlighted Pandya’s ability to keep his lower body open while remaining side-on through the upper half — a rare combination in modern batting. This contrast between the bottom and top halves of the body creates significant hip and shoulder separation. Aaron explained that such alignment generates a twisting motion, adding substantial power to Pandya’s strokes without forcing him off balance. The wide base, coupled with strong core engagement, enables Pandya to hit both length and hard length deliveries with authority, even against high-quality fast bowling.
“One is, obviously, keep his bottom half really opened, which gives him a lot of power, the base goes really wide, and then he stays really side-on from his top half. With those two things, he gives himself a lot of hip and shoulder separation, which adds a lot of twisting power,” added Aaron.
Form and confidence ahead of New Zealand series
Pandya’s confidence is further boosted by his strong domestic form for Baroda in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, where he delivered several impactful performances. That momentum followed him into international cricket during India’s recent T20I series against South Africa, where he amassed 142 runs in three innings at an outstanding average of 71.00 and a strike rate of 186.84. Such numbers underline the effectiveness of the technical traits Aaron described, particularly in high-pressure situations against quality opposition.
Across his T20I career, Pandya has scored 2002 runs in 97 innings at a strike rate of 143.51, establishing himself as one of India’s most reliable finishers. In the 2025 calendar year alone, he accumulated 302 runs in 12 innings at a strike rate of 153.29, reinforcing his growing influence in the shortest format.
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