Shadab at least has some escape route as bowler - he'll trouble many teams every day, some teams some days .... even in Test. But, this guy Hardik is the ultimate B&Pieces cricketer outside T20. Not good enough batsman to make IND D as specialist bat, not good enough to make IND F as specialist pacer. All that batting blast he has done is coming at 40th over after the top order has posted 200+ .... put him at three against new ball, he'll struggle to match Shakib's one world cup in all WC career combined. I know about his 93 at Jo'burg or his ODI heroics against Aussies .... but our Imrul also has a scintillating 107 against Poms and was instrumental with bat in the only Test that we won against Poms - these are one off.
Overall package, HP gives decent balance between bat & ball for LO cricket, but he is the ultimate example of "caught in between". Still, MILES BETTER than "all-rounder" Faheem Ashraf (which to be honest isn't a benchmark to be honest) and a brilliant fielder, but his ultimate use is : Istemal ke liye (Utility player). Just to give a perspective, Hardik is officially 27 this OCT, at same age (Jan 1986) some Kapil Dev Nikhanj had played 74 Tests, 3000+ runs at 30+ average with 3 hundreds and almost 300 wickets (281) at <29 with 18 5fors and 2 10fors ...... and in ODI 76 games (must say those were not diluted by ICC's globalization) for 1600+ runs at 28/102 stats in late 70s/early 80s and almost 100 wickets (97) at <25 average .... FOR GODS SAKE.......
As a cricketer, despite all the hype, I'll take Shadab everyday because his Leg spin can be developed into a decent level, which Hardik's batting won't reach, and least said about pace bowling is better - I know he clocks 140K+ in IPL. But, both's best suit is T20 (Yaak) & weakest is Test cricket, which tells almost everything about them. Both, are light years away from Shakib or Stokes as all-rounders respectively..... and Imran/Kapil are a defame charge away.
