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“Can’t be your fifth bowler” – Sanjay Manjrekar on Hardik Pandya ahead of 2024 T20 World Cup

Former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar has warned Rohit Sharma and Co. not to use all-rounder Hardik Pandya as their fifth bowling option in 2024 T20 World Cup. Manjrekar pointed out Pandya’s struggle with fitness over the years and asked the Men in Blue to lean towards the spin trio. He reckons that Pandya can’t guarantee his four overs. As a result, he should be used only as a sixth bowling option.

In IPL 2024, Pandya managed just 11 wickets in 14 matches at an economy rate of 10.75. With the bat, he scored 216 runs at an average of 18 and a strike rate of 143.05.

Manjrekar recently told Star Sports:

"Hardik Pandya can't be your fifth bowler. I think India must have the sixth bowler as Hardik Pandya because of the amount of bowling he has done and with fitness. So, I'd rather go a little heavy on spin because when you look at the seam quality of India, there's not much depth.”

Hardik Pandya played his last T20I in August 2023. Since the 2022 T20 World Cup, he has picked up 11 wickets in 11 T20Is at an economy rate of 7.29. The 30-year-old sustained an ankle injury during the 2023 ODI World Cup.

“I'd rather go with an extra spinner” – Sanjay Manjrekar wants India to go with 3 spinners in 2024 T20 World Cup

Sanjay Manjrekar hinted that Axar Patel could be used as an extra spinner alongside Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav in Mohammed Shami’s absence (injured) during the 2024 T20 World Cup. The cricketer-turned-commentator said:

"If Mohammed Shami had been there, then it would have completely changed the look of India's bowling attack. You have some good spinning options, so I'd rather go with an extra spinner.”

Axar recently scalped 11 wickets in 14 IPL games at an economy rate of 7.66. Meanwhile, Yuzvendra Chahal looked impressive with 18 scalps in 15 matches, while Kuldeep bagged 16 wickets in 11 games.

The front-line bowlers include Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, and Mohammed Siraj. Bumrah and Arshdeep looked impressive with the ball in IPL 2024, picking up 20 and 19 wickets in 13 and 14 matches, respectively. Meanwhile, Siraj also scalped 15 wickets in 14 outings.

India will begin their 2024 T20 World Cup campaign against Ireland on June 5.

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