He feels Shardul Thakur’s remarkable rise has made it tough for Hardik to return to Test side.
Former Indian cricketer and cricket analyst, Aakash Chopra, has made a big statement regarding Hardik Pandya’s return to Test cricket, saying unless the all-rounder is fully fit and able to bowl at full, he can’t make a comeback, given Shardul Thakur’s remarkable rise in his absence.
The 28-year-old has been constantly away from cricket due to his back injury and his Test career seems to be in a precarious situation, having last been seen in whites in 2018.
In Pandya’s absence, Shardul, a pace bowling all-rounder, has done exceptionally well in Test cricket for India, and now he has become an integral part of the Indian cricket team, given that the latter’s return to Test cricket seems very difficult for Chopra.
The former cricketer-turned-commentator believes that if the persistent injury woes keep Pandya constantly away from bowling, it will be tough for him to return to the Test side.
Chopra said on his YouTube channel: “Never say never. Honestly speaking, Hardik has himself said that he doesn’t want to play, considering the state of his back. To be very honest, if Hardik’s back issue continues to ail him and he doesn’t bowl, then it is very very tough. But if he recovers fully, he becomes bowling fit and can bowl the long spells, then Hardik is Hardik.”
However, he said that if a fully-fit Hardik is able to bowl then, then he will be ahead of Shardul.
Chopra explained, “If you need a fourth fast bowler plus a proper batter, then Hardik Pandya will bring slightly more balance in this team, that is what I believe because the fourth fast bowler you play as one of the five, then his role as a batter is slightly more as compared to him being a bowler.”
He signed off by saying, “So in my opinion, if Hardik remains fit, bowls well and the ability he has with the bat, he will be slightly ahead of Shardul. But till he is not fit, Shardul is destroying everyone.”
Notably, Hardik has played 11 Tests so far and claimed 17 wickets while he has scored 532 runs, whereas Shardul has so far taken 24 wickets and scored 232 runs with the highest score of 67 in 6 Tests.