Virat Kohli-led Team India is scheduled to clash with arch-rival Pakistan in their opening match of ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in UAE. Days ahead of the high-voltage encounter the fitness of Hardik Pandya is a matter of concern for Kohli and it is likely that Kohli would decide to drop the star all-rounder for the match against Pakistan.
It is to be noted that Pandya was included in Team India as a batting all-rounder and it is expected that he would not bowl during the ICC T20 World Cup as selectors have decided to replace spin-bowling all-rounder Axar Patel with fast bowling all-rounder Shardul Thakur. Former India opener Gautam Gambhir said that Pandya was not in good form during the recently concluded IPL 2021 and the all-rounder cannot have a spot in the Indian team if he is not fit enough to bowl.
“For me, Hardik Pandya gets into India’s playing XI only if he does proper bowling in both warmup games, not only in the nets,” said Gambhir.
“There is a huge difference between bowling in the nets and against quality batsmen like Babar Azam and that too in the World Cup. He has to bowl in the practice matches and the nets, and he has to bowl 100 percent. If you are thinking that you will come and bowl just at 115-120 kph, I will not take that risk,” he added.
India squad: Virat Kohli (c), Rohit Sharma (VC), KL Rahul, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya, R Ashwin, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Rahul Chahar, Varun, Mohammed Shami, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Ravindra Jadeja, Ishan Kishan.
Standby players: Shreyas Iyer, Deepak Chahar, Axar Patel.
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