"When Hardik Pandya is batting, I...": Here's why Harsha Bhogle thinks the MI player is more flexible than KKR's Andre Russell

Mumbai Indians will be hosting Kolkata Knight Riders at the Wankhede Stadium on Sunday. The three-time winners will be eager to avenge their reverse fixture loss against KKR while KKR need to win this match in order to qualify for the playoffs failing which Sunrisers Hyderabad will consolidate their playoff berth. Meanwhile, Mumbai Indians have already consolidated their playoff spot.

Prior to this match, the 'Voice of Indian Cricket' Harsha Bhogle decided to add a little spice to this rivalry by making his opinions about MI's Hardik Pandya and KKR's Andre Russell.

Taking to Facebook, Bhogle wrote a detailed post and gave a comparison of the batting skills of the two power-hitters. 

MUST WATCH: Harbhajan Singh and other CSK players show their singing skills in this unmissable 'Super Gully Rap song'

The veteran commentator admired Pandya's batting, saying that when the Indian all-rounder bats, the ball seems to leave his bat as if it is propelled by an engine. At the same time, he also praised Russell as well before adding that Russell 'brutalises the ball' while Pandya seems to 'merely admonish it'. 

"But when Hardik Pandya is batting, I stop what I am doing," the cricket commentator wrote. 

The 57-year old also showered praises on Pandya's helicopter shot by saying that he plays the shot very differently from MS Dhoni as the youngster hits the ball a lot squarer and often over mid-wicket.

"Pandya is more lithe; thinner and more supple and with no disrespect to Russell who has his own style, more graceful. The helicopter shot has found a second home and, in a difference to the way Dhoni plays it, Pandya hits it a lot squarer, often over mid-wicket," Bhogle wrote in his post.

Bhogle then went on to say that Pandya will climb many peaks if he chooses to and termed the 25-year old as a rare player who has the option of charting his course.

"All Pandya needs now is to focus his extraordinary ability towards a goal that has been ordained for him. He will climb many peaks, if he chooses to. It is a rare player who has the option of charting his course and Pandya’s peaks will depend on the choices he makes," he added.

Read the full post here.

WATCH: Virat Kohli's imitation of Khaleel Ahmed's celebratory gesture will leave you in splits