Team India should not risk playing Hardik Pandya in ODIs until the T20 World Cup later this year, according to Ravi Shastri.
Hardik has been recalled to the Indian team for the upcoming T20I series against South Africa, following his outstanding performances in the IPL 2022. For the Gujarat Titans (GT), he shone with both bat and ball, and he’ll be hoping to do the same for Team India. Gujarat won their first IPL season thanks to the all-rounder.
Ravi Shastri on Hardik Pandya
Hardik Pandya should only play T20 cricket for the next few months, according to former Team India head coach Ravi Shastri. After leading the Gujarat Titans (GT) to victory in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022, Pandya returned to the national team for the T20I series against South Africa.
Pandya scored 487 runs at an average of 44.27 in 15 matches for the IPL 2022, including four half-centuries. He also took eight wickets, including a three-fer against the Rajasthan Royals in the final.
Pandya should get enough rest before the T20 tournament in Australia, according to Shastri, and his fitness should be monitored. Hardik has gained enough fitness to bowl a couple of overs every match, according to the veteran, who was also a member of India’s 1983 World Cup-winning squad.
“He will walk back into that squad for me either as a batter or as an all-rounder. I don’t think he is that badly injured where he cannot bowl you two overs. He has had ample rest and he will continue to have ample rest because that’s the only format he should play going into the World Cup. They shouldn’t take the risk of making him play ODI cricket,” Shastri said.
Massive, he does the job for two players. A Hardik Pandya playing just as a batter would mean he has to bat in the top four or five but Hardik Pandya playing as an all-rounder, he can bat at five, six or four and still bowl those two-three overs for you,” he added.
