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Cricket Players'They shouldn't take the risk of playing him in ODIs': Shastri rings warning bell for Team India on 28-year-old star
The former Team India head coach spoke in detail about the 28-year-old star.
The Indian cricket team will return to action on June 9 when the side takes on South Africa in the first of five T20Is at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi. While the likes of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Jasprit Bumrah are rested for the series, KL Rahul will lead the team with wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant as his deputy. The series also sees a return of all-rounder Hardik Pandya to the Indian squad for the first time since the T20 World Cup last year.
Pandya enjoyed a brilliant outing in the recently-concluded 2022 Indian Premier League, where he led the Gujarat Titans to the title in their maiden season. The GT captain was the top-scorer for his side in the season, scoring 487 runs in 15 innings (fourth-highest overall). In the final, Pandya also pulled out a magnificent performance with the ball, registering figures of 3/17 in four overs.
Former India head coach Ravi Shastri, who worked closely with Pandya during his stint at the position, opened up on the all-rounder's return and insisted that he should only be playing in the shortest format until this year's T20 World Cup.
“He will walk back into that squad for me either as a batter or as an all-rounder. I don't think he is that badly injured where he cannot bowl you two overs. He has had ample rest and he will continue to have ample rest because that's the only format he should play going into the World Cup. They shouldn't take the risk of making him play ODI cricket,” said Shastri in Star Sports' Game Plan.
Shastri further added that Pandya does the job of two players in the side.
“Massive, he does the job for two players. A Hardik Pandya playing just as a batter would mean he has to bat in the top four or five but Hardik Pandya playing as an all-rounder, he can bat at five, six or four and still bowl those two-three overs for you,” said the former India head coach.
