'Told the guys that if I come back...': Hardik Pandya's big confession about being away from Indian team, bowling again

Hardik Pandya revealed that while he was undergoing rehab at the NCA, his mind was filled with doubts and questions he had no solutions or answers for.

Hardik Pandya might well be the x-factor for India as they look to make a run at the World Cup trophy at home later this year, but a lot will depend on how much the all-rounder can contribute with the ball in ODIs. A batter now capable of anchoring innings as well as finishing them off, Pandya's value to the Indian team comes in his ability to provide overs of pace — but for many, it is a role that must be viewed and approached with caution by Rohit Sharma and Rahul Dravid.

India's Hardik Pandya (Right) celebrates with Suryakumar Yadav, the dismissal of West Indies' Kyle Mayers during their 1st ODI. (AP)

Pandya showed positive signs as he bowled for his IPL team, the Gujarat Titans, through their campaign as they reached the IPL finals in 2023. However, it wasn't at volume, and in a format where he could be tasked with being the third seam option for India in subcontinental conditions, how his body holds up will be of great significance to his captain.

Pandya, even with 5-6 overs, provides great flexibility to India. On spinning tracks, he could allow India to play three spinners and batting till number 8, and on more seam-friendly tracks such as Dharamsala, he could be a genuine weapon for Rohit to rely on as a fifth bowling option. Pandya's back surgery during the course of the Covid-19 pandemic saw him being used as a pure batter for a couple of years, but his return to bowling is key, especially in the longer format.

The situation becomes all the more interesting given Pandya's confession about his time away from the game. The all-rounder revealed that while he was undergoing rehab at the National Cricket Academy, his mind was filled with doubts and questions he had no solutions or answers for.

Pandya's period of self doubt

"I went back and I was just spending time with myself. I had to figure out that what exactly is it that I am aspiring to be. For my bowling, I told the guys in the Indian team that if I come back, I will do so as an all-rounder otherwise I won't. And I was fine with it because that was the challenge thrown at me. To be honest, I was very happy with that fact that if I don't play, I was ok," Pandya was quoted as saying by Jio Cinema after India won the toss and opted to field in the 1st ODI against West Indies in Barbados.

Pandya was a genuine third-seamer option during the 2019 ODI World Cup, bowling behind Bumrah and Bhuvneshwar Kumar. However, with his quantity of overs and pace both dropping since surgery, his batting in the middle order will be of more importance, especially with Rishabh Pant likely to miss out on the World Cup.

Pandya's development as a bonafide middle order bat will allow him to bat at 6 with Ravindra Jadeja after him, allowing for Axar Patel or Shardul Thakur to occupy the number 8 slot and make India dangerous in both quality and depth at the home World Cup. The West Indies series and the following Asia Cup will be integral for plans to be set regarding the combinations and balance of the team.