South African pace legend Dale Steyn heaped praise on Hardik Pandya after the Indian all-rounder’s explosive display in the fifth T20I, calling him a player who operates on a different mental level and has an unrivaled presence on the field. Pandya smashed 63, which included India’s second-fastest T20I fifty, while Tilak Varma’s 73 laid the foundation for a dominant performance. India finished with a dismal total of 232, which proved too much for South Africa as the hosts sealed a 30-run victory on Friday.
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Talking about JioStar, Steyn likened Pandya’s personality on the field to a larger-than-life figure. He said Pandya has moved beyond being just an athlete and now walks away with the confidence and authority of a superhero, someone who dictates terms and refuses to bend. Steyn felt it was not arrogance but sheer dominance that was reflected in Pandya’s body language, attitude and ability to remain mentally untouchable in a game where mindset often decides results. According to Steyn, while many players have skills, Pandya has taken things to another level. Steyn also criticized South Africa’s batting approach during the chase, particularly their decision to play cautiously against Jasprit Bumrah and Varun Chakaravarthy. He felt that the plan to simply survive Bumrah’s spell and target other bowlers was working against them. Steyn pointed out that Bumrah’s impact goes beyond his own wickets. He said South Africa allowed Bumrah to bowl without enough pressure and once he dismissed Quinton de Kock, the dynamic changed sharply. That moment, according to Steyn, opened the door for further damage, including Hardik’s wicket falling and Chakaravarthy finding his rhythm. He stressed that when chasing targets in the 230 to 240 range, teams cannot afford to wait and hope. Attacking elite pitchers, even at risk, is essential because they’ll get a breakthrough regardless. In the case of Varun Chakaravarthy, Steyn admitted that the enigmatic spinner has a clear advantage over South Africa’s middle order. He said several batsmen struggle to read Chakaravarthy’s variations, with Aiden Markram the only one who picks him out quite well, although he too often gets out when trying to attack. Others, like Ferreira, have been described as completely unnerved by Chakaravarthy’s subtle changes in pace and spin. Steyn concluded by noting that Chakaravarthy’s control even forced Markram into a more cautious approach, which he said was the worst possible mindset for a batsman facing Indian spin.
