Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya, widely regarded as one of the most influential modern cricketers, recently surprised fans by revealing that his cricketing idol is former India batter Wasim Jaffer.

Pandya shared this during a segment at the BCCI Naman Awards event, where several Indian players spoke about their inspirations and early cricketing memories. While many expected Pandya to name a global superstar, his choice of Jaffer left many fans on social media intrigued.

Inspired by Jaffer’s batting style

Pandya explained that he admired Jaffer from a very young age. According to him, Jaffer’s batting technique and elegance stood out compared with many other players.

The Indian all-rounder revealed that while growing up, he loved watching Jaffer bat and was fascinated by his classical style. Pandya even tried to imitate Jaffer’s technique during his early cricketing days.

In an earlier interview in 2022, Pandya said that Jaffer’s class, balance, and traditional batting approach made a strong impression on him, which is why he considers him a personal idol.

Jaffer’s impressive domestic career

Although Jaffer did not achieve massive success at the international level, he is widely regarded as one of the greatest players in Indian domestic cricket.

Jaffer played 260 first-class matches, scoring 19,410 runs at an average of over 50, including 57 centuries—one of the most remarkable records in domestic cricket. For India, he appeared in 31 Test matches, scoring 1,944 runs with five centuries and 11 half-centuries.

His consistency in red-ball cricket made him a respected figure in the Indian cricketing circuit.

Other inspirations for Hardik Pandya

Pandya has also spoken about admiring legendary cricketers such as Sachin Tendulkar and South African all-round great Jacques Kallis. Early in his career, Pandya even said that he wanted to become India’s version of Jacques Kallis, contributing with both bat and ball.

Hardik Pandya’s international career

Pandya has established himself as one of India’s most impactful all-rounders in modern cricket.

• Tests: 532 runs and 17 wickets in 11 matches

• ODIs: 1,904 runs and 91 wickets in 94 matches

• T20Is: 2,288 runs and 114 wickets

In the Indian Premier League as well, Pandya has been a key performer, scoring over 2,700 runs and taking 78 wickets, making him one of the league’s most valuable all-round players.

Despite becoming a global star and leading India to titles like the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024 and ICC Champions Trophy, Pandya’s admiration for Wasim Jaffer reflects how even the biggest cricketers draw inspiration from players who shaped their early cricketing journey.