Two years can change a lot. Hardik Pandya is a prime example of it. The India all-rounder was sent back home from Australia in 2018-19 for his controversial remarks in a non-cricket talk show and two years later, in his return to Australia, he emerged as one of the mainstays in India’s batting line-up.
His exploits were not only limited to the cricket field. Pandya won hearts with the gesture of handing over his T20 Player of the Series award to newcomer T Natarajan.
Pandya’s consistent form with the bat impressed India’s 1983 World Cup-winning captain Kapil Dev. The legendary India all-rounder called for Pandya’s promotion in the batting order in the shortest format.
Kapil said Pandya should be promoted to No.4 in T20s.
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“You need to 2-3 players in the middle-order who can give you momentum. There is Hardik Pandya. You can make him a No.4 batsman in T20s. It’s all about experimenting,” Kapil told ABP Uncut.
Pandya won the Man of the Series in three-match T20Is against Australia. This after he had already emerged as India’s highest run-scorer in the ODIs with 90-plus scores to his name.
{{/usCountry}}Pandya won the Man of the Series in three-match T20Is against Australia. This after he had already emerged as India’s highest run-scorer in the ODIs with 90-plus scores to his name.
{{/usCountry}}Pandya’s brilliant run with the bat gave rise to the talks of holding him back for the four-match Test series against Australia but India captain Virat Kohli said the flamboyant cricketer needs to start bowling again to be considered for selection in the longest format.
Kapil meanwhile urged the Indian team management to experiment more in T20s, keeping the twin World Cups in mind.
“You have youngsters like Mayank and Sanju Samson. The captain has to back youngsters and also the management. The think tank has to believe in building a new team because T20 is a format of the youth.
“It is surprising that despite hosting IPL for so many years you are still apprehensive in taking such calls. T20 allows youngsters to be ruthless and if there was no IPL then there wouldn’t have been any discussion but since we have a tournament like IPL, we should make more use of it,” Kapil added.