After being snubbed from T20I captaincy, former Indian head coach Ravi Shastri laid down the long run path for the star Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya, advising him to play as a lot as doable and discover inspiration to maintain his health at top-level in his latest ICC T20 World Cup heroics, the place Males in Blue ended their 11-year-long ICC trophy drought. Having acted as deputy to Rohit Sharma in India’s triumphant ICC Males’s T20 World Cup marketing campaign, Pandya was one of many front-runners to take over the mantle as soon as Rohit retired from the format.
Nevertheless, when the squad for the present Sri Lanka tour was introduced, Hardik was listed solely as a participant, with Suryakumar Yadav being named as India’s T20I captain and Shubman Gill because the vice-captain.
In the end, it was Hardik’s ongoing health points that price him the captaincy. Chief selector Ajit Agarkar mentioned within the pre-tour press convention that they most popular a participant whose availability was constantly dependable, thus tilting the scales away from Hardik.
Within the newest version of The ICC Assessment, Shastri supplied worthwhile recommendation to Hardik on how he can return to his peak efficiency.
“I feel (it’s) crucial that he continues to play,” Shastri mentioned whereas talking to host Sanjana Ganesan, as quoted by the ICC.
“I imagine match health is essential. So no matter T20I cricket there’s, he ought to play as a lot as he can. And if he feels robust and match, then clearly he comes into the facet for the one-day recreation as properly.”
“However then once more, the bowling turns into essential. In case you have somebody coming and bowling simply three overs in the place it’s a must to bowl 10 in a one-day recreation, then the steadiness of the facet takes successful.”
“Should you can bowl constantly eight to 10 overs each recreation after which bat the way in which he does, I feel he’ll play in one-day cricket as properly,” he concluded his level.
Hardik has had a long-standing battle with main accidents that date again to 2018.
Throughout India’s high-voltage conflict in opposition to Pakistan that yr on the Asia Cup in Dubai, Pandya collapsed after bowling, clutching his again in agony and needed to be stretchered off the sphere. A prognosis revealed a stress fracture that necessitated surgical procedure and intensive rehabilitation.
Pandya selected to get well with out surgical procedure and managed to get slot in time for the ICC Males’s Cricket World Cup 2019. Nevertheless, his again points resurfaced later that yr, finally requiring him to endure surgical procedure.
Extra just lately, Hardik sustained an ankle harm whereas making an attempt to subject the ball on follow-through throughout India’s Cricket World Cup 2023 encounter in opposition to Bangladesh.
This harm sidelined him for an prolonged interval, and he solely returned to worldwide motion throughout the T20 World Cup.
Upon his return, Hardik reminded everybody of his distinctive expertise as an all-rounder, scoring essential runs and taking essential wickets all through the event. Within the T20 World Cup, Pandya scored 144 runs in six innings at a mean of 48.00 and a strike price of 151.57, with a half-century and finest rating of fifty*. He additionally took 11 wickets in eight video games at a mean of 17.36 and an economic system price of seven.64, with the perfect figures of three/20.
Within the closing, Hardik delivered underneath stress, taking the essential wickets of the damaging Heinrich Klaasen after which David Miller within the final over, serving to to finish India’s 11-year trophy drought.
The 30-year-old then collected two wickets and scored a worthwhile 22* throughout India’s series-clinching victory over Sri Lanka in Pallekele on Sunday to additional showcase his credentials.
Shastri mentioned that his latest performances could be sufficient motivation for Hardik to get again to full health.
“So I feel it’s as much as him actually, greater than anything,” Shastri added.
“He understands his physique higher than anybody. And I’m positive, this can encourage him, particularly with the way in which he did within the World Cup, the way in which he carried out on the proper instances for India and the World Cup, so that ought to actually get him going. He mustn’t want any motivation to get his health proper on the high,” he concluded.
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