Pandya made a comeback in the IPL 2022, where he scored 487 runs and also took 8 wickets.
Former India head coach Ravi Shastri believes that Team India shouldn’t take risk of playing Hardik Pandya in ODIs before the T20 World Cup 2022 so as to keep him fit for the marquee tournament.
Pandya’s name has been hogging the headlines for the past few weeks. The all-rounder staged a staggering comeback in the IPL 2022 after being under a scanner for being unfit and in and out of the Indian team due to fitness issues.
However, he replied to the critics in style in the recently concluded IPL 15, where he led from the front and took GT to the title victory in their first season. He was the fourth-highest run-getter in the tournament with 487 runs to his name and also took 8 wickets in the tournament.
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Pandya also was awarded Player of the Match in the final as he returned with the figures of 3/17 and also scored crucial 34 runs with the bat. He also displayed impressive leadership skills throughout the tournament, which was lauded by many.
Hardik’s heroics in the IPL even earned him a recall to the Indian T20I side for the upcoming series against South Africa, which will start on 9th June. With him now being fit, it is expected that the all-rounder will be a regular name in the Indian white-ball squad and is likely to play all the matches.
However, Ravi Shastri feels that India should not take the risk of making Pandya play ODI or Test cricket for the next few months to keep him fit enough to bowl at least two overs consistently in the T20 World Cup.
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"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," Ravi Shastri was quoted as saying on Star Sports show Game Plan.
Shastri lavished rich praise on Pandya and highlighted his importance in the team both as a specialist batter as well as an all-rounder.
"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 said.
Notably, Hardik last played for Team India during the T20 World Cup 2021 and he would be hoping to continue his red-hot form for the national side.
(Star Sports inputs)