“It is his and the team management’s call” - Suryakumar Yadav on when Hardik Pandya will start bowling regularly
Indian batsman Suryakumar Yadav has stated that a call on when Hardik Pandya can start bowling regularly will be taken by the all-rounder and the team management.
Pandya wasn’t picked for the Test tour of England owing to his inability to bowl regularly. He is part of the Indian team which will play six limited-overs matches in Sri Lanka.
Speaking at a virtual press conference, Yadav stated that Hardik has been bowling, although not regularly. Responding to a query from Sportskeeda on the status of Hardik the bowler, Yadav said:
“He did bowl in the England series. I was a part of it. He bowled in the T20 games and even in one-dayers. In the final ODI, he bowled well when the team was in a crunch situation, so I think it was good. But yeah, during IPL, Hardik did not bowl. The team management and Hardik, they knew their responsibilities really well, so they were taking a call. He did bowl in the intra-squad match. He is also bowling in the nets. It is his and the team management’s call, how they want to go about it. But yes, he is bowling and that’s a very good sign.”
Hardik has been very conscious about his bowling ever since returning to cricket following a back surgery he underwent in 2019. He managed to claim three wickets in the T20I series against England at home.
There is only one player like Hardik Pandya, he provides balance: Aakash Chopra
Former India Test opener Aakash Chopra has opined that if Hardik starts bowling again regularly, it will drastically improve the balance of the side, especially with the T20 World Cup coming up. Chopra said on his YouTube channel:
“You were looking at him for Test cricket but he is not available for you there as well because he is not bowling. When you look at it from that vantage point, there is only one player like Hardik Pandya, he provides balance. Hardik Pandya as a fast-bowling all-rounder, Ravindra Jadeja as a spinning all-rounder and Washington Sundar with them, it becomes a superb team.”
Chopra added that if Hardik can bowl seven to eight overs in ODIs and his quota of four overs in T20Is, the team management should be happy. He added:
“Six to eight (overs) and bowls his full quota in T20s, full overs in the IPL and then definitely in the World Cup because Hardik Pandya bowling makes it easier for India to get the right balance.”
Hardik has so far featured in 11 Tests, 60 ODIs and 48 T20I, claiming 113 international scalps.