Hardik Pandya Nowhere Near Kapil Dev Yet, Says This Former India Bowler

Former India bowler Karsan Ghavri believes that India all-rounder Hardik Pandya is nowhere near legendary Kapil Dev yet. Pandya starred with the bat in the Champions Trophy final last year, and in the first innings of the opening Test against South Africa last week. Some sports writers have compared Pandya to Kapil Dev. "He (Kapil) is being so modest to say -- I read in the newspaper -- that Hardik Pandya is a better all-rounder than him. In my view Hardik Pandya is nowhere near Kapil Dev," Ghavri, who opened the bowling with Kapil in several Test matches, said.

"And even if he has to reach there, he has got a long long way to go. It's a very difficult comparison, but (Hardik) he is nowhere near Kapil Dev right now," Ghavri quipped.

The Rajkot-born former left-hand pacer was speaking at a programme organised by The Legends Club to mark the 59th birthday of Kapil Dev at the Cricket Club of India here.

"Time will tell how far he (Hardik) can reach close to Kapil's achievement or whatever Kapil has done and the time will tell you everything," said 66-year-old Ghavri.

Ghavri praised India bowlers for their show in the first Test match against South Africa in Cape Town which India lost by 72 runs, chasing a modest 208, and blamed the batsmen.

"We bowled extremely well in both the innings. Bowlers have done a beautiful job in the first Test match and it is only the batsmen, who have let us down.

"And if we really need to improve from the second and the third Test onwards, every batsman has to take a lot of responsibility and plan out their innings and you need to have lot of runs on the board to fight, you got to give something to your bowlers and if you don't do that, then the result will be different altogether," he said.

(With PTI inputs)