Today the world salutes all-rounder Hardik Pandya who made India win T20 World Cup 2024, T20 World Cup 2026 and Champions Trophy. Millions of cricketers want to become an all-rounder like him who has the power to change matches with ball, bat and fielding. But do you know whom Hardik Pandya, the idol of millions of fans, considers as his idol? Pandya revealed this in the BCCI awards show. Pandya told that his idol is former cricketer Wasim Jaffer. Fans on social media are surprised to hear this answer of Pandya. That's because even though Wasim Jaffer is a big name in domestic cricket, he could not do justice to his talent in international cricket. Let us now tell you why Pandya likes Wasim Jaffer so much.

Why does Hardik Pandya consider Wasim Jaffer as his idol?

Wasim Jaffer is Hardik Pandya's favorite because he loved watching his batting since childhood. Pandya had told that he found Jafar completely different from other players. His batting class was different. Pandya had admitted in an interview that he liked Wasim Jaffer's batting style, his class, his technique. Pandya often tried to copy his batting technique. He made this disclosure in the year 2022.

Wasim Jaffer's batting was amazing

Wasim Jaffer showed amazing performance throughout his career, he was considered a better red ball player. Let us tell you that Jaffer played 260 first class matches, in which he scored 19410 runs at an average of 50.67. Jaffer has 57 centuries in first class cricket. He also played 31 Test matches for India, in which Jaffer scored 1944 runs at an average of 34.10. Jaffer scored 5 test centuries and 11 half-centuries.

Champions take on some quick-fire questions!

First game? First vehicle? & more ft Hardik Pandya, Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi! #NamanAwards pic.twitter.com/pj9KDOma68

— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) March 15, 2026

This is the reason why Hardik Pandya was crazy about his batting. However, Hardik Pandya also likes Sachin Tendulkar and Jacques Kallis a lot. In the initial days of his career, Pandya had also said that he wanted to become Jacques Kallis of India. Pandya has shown by doing whatever he said. A pace bowling all-rounder of his level has not been found in India yet.

Hardik Pandya's career

Talking about Hardik Pandya's career, he scored 532 runs in 11 test matches, which includes one century. Apart from this, he has scored 1904 runs in 94 ODIs at an average of 32.82. In T20, he has scored 2288 runs at an average of 28.24, in which he has scored 9 half-centuries with his bat. He has 17 wickets to his name in Tests. He has 91 wickets in ODI and 114 wickets in T20 International. Hardik Pandya dominates in IPL also. He has scored 2749 runs at an average of 28.34 and apart from this he also has 78 wickets in his name.