'He can't be your 5th bowler if Hardik isn't bowling': Former selector Sarandeep Singh on Krunal Pandya's role in ODI XI
Former India selector Sarandeep Singh believes that Krunal Pandya cannot play the role of India's fifth bowler in the ODIs.
Former India selector Sarandeep Singh remarked that in order for both the Pandya brothers, Krunal and Hardik, to feature in the same playing XI in the ODIs, Hardik must bowl a few overs.
Sarandeep, whose term ended with India's historic win in Australia earlier this year, added that Krunal cannot play the role of India's fifth bowler as he cannot bowl 10 overs in the ODIs.
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"If we talk about ODIs, if Hardik is not bowling, Krunal can't be your fifth bowler. He batted beautifully but Krunal can't give you 10 overs, he is a good T20 player but when it comes to ODIs, he doesn't have the skill to challenge the batsmen.
"So, if Krunal plays, Hardik needs to bowl. If one bowler is hit or injured there is no extra option if Hardik doesn't bowl. His workload has to be managed too but you have to play proper bowlers," added Sarandeep.
Forty-one-year-old former off-spinner's statement comes after Indian skipper Virat Kohli's decision to not bowl Hardik in the first two ODIs against England at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune and Krunal leaking runs without taking too many wickets.
Krunal made his ODI debut in the first of the three-match series and made the headlines by smashing the fastest-ever fifty on in debut in ODIs. However, he went for 1/59 in his 10 overs in the second half of the innings.
His struggles increased as a bowler in the 2nd ODI as he gave away 72 runs in six overs and returned wicketless. In the third game, he bowled even fewer overs, registering figures of 0/29 in four overs. Hardik put in a big shift of nine overs in the decider and bowled a wonderful penultimate over that played a huge role in India's last-ball win. The right-hander pocketed 0/48 in his spell.
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