During the recent Naman Awards, Hardik Pandya once again expressed his great respect for Wasim Jaffer and even named the former Indian batsman as his cricketing idol. Although Jaffer played only 33 matches for India, his contribution lies mainly in domestic cricket, where he scored nearly 20,000 first-class runs over an amazing 25-year career.
Thinking about their relationship, Jaffer even narrated the first moment he met the young Hardik Pandya – way before the all-rounder got his international star. They met when Mumbai played Baroda in the Ranji Trophy 2014-15 season. Jaffer had to sit out due to his injury, but he was with the Mumbai team, and he attended a dinner that was organised by Irfan Pathan. Introducing Jaffer was Hardik and his brother, Krunal Pandya.
Jaffer said that even then, Irfan Pathan thought highly of Hardik and was sure he would become victorious. “He said to me, ‘Get to know Hardik, he will be playing very soon, ” Jaffer said. Time confirmed that Hardik was soon with the Mumbai Indians, and he became a star very fast.
The question: Cricketing Idol that’s you Growing Up ?
Abhishek Sharma – Yuvraj Singh
Sanju Samson – Sachin Tendulkar
Hardik Pandya – Wasim Jaffar
Vaibhav Suryavanshi – Brian Lara and Yuvraj Singh pic.twitter.com/mLpUPS91OW— Bihar_se_hai (@Bihar_se_hai) March 15, 2026
What impressed Jaffer most at the beginning was Hardik’s humbleness and his admiration. The kid not only told Hardik that he loved to watch his batting but also that he really liked Hardik’s style of play. For Jaffer, this has been a special moment – a recognition he got from performing in domestic cricket.
Hardik Pandya Credits Wasim Jaffer
Hardik’s swift rise to stardom and global recognition as one of India’s best all-rounders has not stopped him from crediting Jaffer for inspiring him. Jaffer admitted he was deeply touched by this and said such upliftment gives him a lot of pleasure, especially since it was his own career that was quite under the international spotlight.
“It is very nice of him to still bring up my name among the big stars, ” Jaffer said and added that these types of gestures help in keeping his contributions alive in public memory. Later, he also shared how fans often remember international icons more easily, whereas domestic stalwarts like him may not always get the same kind of acknowledgement.
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