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Cricket Players'Are you listening to medical people or cricket people?': Chappell stunned at India star's absence from Test team
Australia legend Ian Chappell was stunned at the star's absence in the Indian Test team, and called for his inclusion in the longest format.
Team India faced a humbling defeat at the hands of Australia in the third Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy on Friday. On a tricky surface in Indore, Australia produced an exemplary display of grit and courage as they defeated the hosts by nine wickets, chasing a 75-run target with relative ease on the morning of Day 3. The win meant Australia became the first team to qualify for the final of the World Test Championship; India, meanwhile, still need a win to book their berth for the same.
Australia were hardly in a comfortable spot ahead of the Indore Test; in addition to big defeats in the previous two games, the side also lost skipper Pat Cummins (family illness), and the duo of David Warner and Josh Hazlewood (injuries). Steve Smith stepped in as skipper for the side in Indore, while Cameron Green - the pace-bowling all-rounder – also got his first game of the series at the Holkar Stadium.
While Green bowled only two overs in the match (both in first innings), he made a decent contribution with the bat – given the surface on offer – as he scored 21 off 57 deliveries. Former Australia captain Ian Chappell said that Green's presence offered some balance to the side in the third Test but wondered why India don't use the services of fast bowling all-rounder Hardik Pandya in the longest format.
Pandya hasn't featured in a Test since September 2018, and stated last month that he is currently focussing on limited-overs formats.
“I don't understand why Hardik Pandya isn't in the Indian team,” Chappell told ESPNCricinfo. "People keep telling me he can't bowl this much. But again, are you listening to the medical people or having a chat with the cricket people? If Pandya wants to play, he should be in the Indian side. He's a good batsman, he bowls decently, he is a damn good fielder.
“To find the right balance, Australia needed Cameron Green in there. And India needs Hardik Pandya,” the Australia great further said.
Pandya had made a strong return to the Indian team after the 2022 Indian Premier League, and in January earlier this year, he was named the captain of the side in T20I series against Sri Lanka and New Zealand.
