Former India cricketer Robin Uthappa was effusive in his admiration for all-rounder Hardik Pandya, who delivered a stellar all-round performance on his return from injury to help the team clinch a 101-run win in the first T20I against South Africa.

The all-rounder played an unbeaten 59-run knock off 28 deliveries in the first innings before recording figures of 1-16 in two overs.

With a huge win over the Proteas, India made a strong statement early in the series. South Africa’s innings quickly faded, and the anticipated resistance was absent, due to aggressive bowling from the Men in Blue. The pitch at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack challenged all players except Pandya, who seemed to thrive in the conditions.

“Here comes a guy returning from a break after an injury, and it doesn’t even

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