The IPL 2020 was supposed to be an audition to many for the upcoming T20 World Cup in Australia.
The postponement of the 13th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 indefinitely due to the ongoing Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has raised serious concerns over India's team combination for the forthcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2020 in Australia later this year.
The latest development has a major impact on Team India's selection criteria as many players including MS Dhoni, Hardik Pandya, Shikhar Dhawan, and Bhuvneshwar Kumar were hoping to get back into the national squad after recovering from injuries (except former captain) through the IPL 2020.
The team selection for the forthcoming showpiece event would certainly heavily depend on the IPL 13 performance but there is no clarity whether the tournament will take place this year or not – which would make India’s team selection for T20 World Cup 2020 a quite difficult for sure.
Well, Harbhajan Singh claimed that there is one player who will make it to India’s T20I squad irrespective of whether IPL takes place or not and he is star all-rounder Hardik Pandya, saying he is an automatic selection in the T20 World Cup squad, despite his long absence from the side due to injury.
The all-rounder has not played for India since September 2019 as he underwent back surgery to treat a longstanding injury. He was due to return in national colors through the 3-match ODI series against South Africa at home in March but that was also suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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However, there are some doubts over him keeping that no.1 all-rounder spot, but the veteran Indian off-spinner was extremely confident about the 26-year-old’s chances to represent India in the showpiece event later this year, saying he is a must-have in the national squad to maintain combination.
Harbhajan told IANS, “Hardik Pandya has not played after the World Cup. But I can give you in writing that if he is fit and irrespective of whether the IPL takes place or not when the team will be made he will be in the team because if the team needs to maintain combination, he has to be in the team.”
He signed off by saying, “You need these kinds of players. So, some players cannot be judged on IPL form. It is for them who are not proven players.”
(With IANS Inputs)