The Board of Control for Cricket in India’s decision to grant Hardik Pandya a central contract has been commended by former Indian cricket player Aakash Chopra. On Wednesday, February 28, the BCCI made public the list of players that have central contracts for 2023–2024.
It’s interesting to note that both Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan were excluded from contracts for violating BCCI rules throughout their domestic cricket careers, Hardik having been placed in the Grade A category.
According to Aakash Chopra, Hardik Pandya has a BCCI central contract and is deserving of it because he is not comparable to Shreyas Iyer or Ishan Kishan.
Why would you punish him if he has not made a mistake?- Aakash Chopra on Hardik Pandya
It was also mentioned that Pandya no longer plays Test cricket because of his fragile back and that he had not played frequently in domestic cricket in the previous few years.
However, Aakash Chopra supported the BCCI’s selection, arguing that since Hardik hasn’t been trying out for a berth in the Indian Test team, he shouldn’t be penalized for not playing first-class cricket.
In a video he posted to his YouTube channel, Chopra expressed his opinion that (5:05):
“Hardik Pandya’s case is very simple. Why would you punish him if he has not made a mistake?
“He is not playing red-ball cricket. That ambition or aspiration does not exist anymore. He has not said that as such, but the truth is that he is not available at all for any Test series,”
Aakash Chopra on why Hardik Pandya is not playing test cricket
Hardik is not a candidate for a spot in the Test team and is not able to handle the challenges of playing first-class cricket, according to the former India opener.
“So if you are not at all auditioning for Tests, no one will ask you to play first-class cricket.”
Chopra went on to say that if he couldn’t play red-ball cricket as an all-rounder, it would be bad for his state team. When he doesn’t even want to play the longest format, at least not in the near future, he continued, Pandya would also replace someone else in the starting eleven.
“Why would you play four-day games when you don’t have that much strength in your body to bowl so many overs and have injury problems? So why should he play – fair play,” Chopra expressed.
It will just clear up your mind- Aakash Chopra explains why Pandya couldn’t play domestic white-ball cricket
Aakash Chopra mentioned that Hardik Pandya sustained an injury in October or November of last year during the World Cup (5:45):
“Let’s try to understand the chronology slightly. It will just clear up your mind why a different rule has been kept for him and why it is wrong to include him with Ishan and Shreyas. He got injured during the World Cup, that was October-November,”
After suffering an injury during the 2023 World Cup, Hardik Pandya did not play till the ongoing DY Patil T20 Cup. Due to his continued lack of fitness, the all-round player was unable to participate in the limited-overs competitions for the Vijay Hazare Trophy and the Mushtaq Ali Trophy.
“The Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy was over in October-November. He was playing the World Cup for India at that time. The last match that Baroda played in the Vijay Hazare Trophy was on 5th December,”
“He was not fit and available. He wasn’t practicing anywhere but was recovering from his injury in the NCA,” Chopra elaborated.
Chopra noted that Hardik never made himself unavailable. He continued, saying it is inappropriate to draw comparisons between his situation and those of Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan and that the all-round player is not subject to the same regulations.