Indian legend Sunil Gavaskar feels there must be a strong attempt to have star all-rounder Hardik Pandya back in the Test setup. He reckons Hardik Pandya will be key for the side to win their maiden World Test Championship (WTC) title and attain glory in Australia. The 30-year-old recently starred in India’s T20 World Cup triumph in the West Indies and the USA.
Hardik Pandya has been on a roller coaster ride for the past six months but his phenomenal rise during India’s triumphant run in the recently concluded T20 World Cup has impressed the likes of many former greats and Sunil Gavaskar called it the need of the hour for an all rounder show in the oldest form of cricket , the red ball cricket or Test cricket and glory in the upcoming series in Australia.
Hardik Pandya’s downfall and dramatic rise to glory in T20 World Cup 2024
The criticisms had begun after Mumbai Indians shockingly replaced Rohit Sharma with Hardik as the captain last December for the IPL 2024 season. While the move was lashed out at by veteran cricketers and experts, Hardik was attacked on social media. The online attack soon turned into boos during each of Mumbai’s matches and remained a constant as the side finished bottom of the table for the second time in three seasons.
However, Hardik Pandya bounced back from the IPL drama in stunning fashion to play a pivotal role in India’s run to a second T20 World Cup win. One of his best performances came in the final, against South Africa, where he dismissed the dangerous Heinrich Klaasen before picking two wickets in the final over to successfully defend 16 runs as India won by seven runs.
Despite his struggles, Hardik Pandya proved decisive during the T20 World Cup in the USA and West Indies, especially in crucial moments for Team India, including the final. Overall, he scored 144 runs at a strike rate of 151.57 in six innings and picked up 11 wickets throughout the tournament.
Hardik Pandya finished the tournament with a batting average of 48 and a strike rate of 151.57 in addition to 11 wickets at an average of 17.36 in eight outings. The champion all-rounder also saved his best for the final, producing figures of 3/20 in three overs to help India seal a thrilling win over South Africa.
Hardik Pandya bowled the final over of the summit clash with the Proteas needing 16 runs to win. He conceded only eight runs and picked up the wickets of David Miller and Kagiso Rabada to clinch India the title. Although Hardik Pandya had a promising start in his Test career, persistent injuries have limited him to just 11 Tests while prioritizing his white-ball career.
Hardik Pandya, who hasn’t played Test cricket since 2018, boasts a batting average of 31.29 and a bowling average of 31.05 in Tests. He has scored 532 runs in 18 innings, including one century and four fifties, alongside taking 17 wickets with best bowling figures of 5 for 28. Indian cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar has urged for efforts to bring star all-rounder Hardik Pandya back into the Test team, stressing his importance for India’s chances in winning their first World Test Championship (WTC) title and achieving success in Australia.
Sunil Gavaskar believes all-rounder Hardik Pandya a key for India to win WTC title
Indian legend Sunil Gavaskar feels there must be a strong attempt to have star all-rounder Hardik Pandya back in the Test setup. He reckons he will be key for the side to win their maiden World Test Championship (WTC) title and attain glory in Australia. The 30-year-old recently starred in India’s T20 World Cup triumph in the West Indies and the USA.
Hardik Pandya has played only 11 Tests for India amidst the 186 white-ball games in his eight-year international career. With injuries at regular intervals, the all-rounder has been more focused on extending his white-ball career, leading to him last playing red-ball cricket for India in 2018.
When asked if the side can assert their dominance in Tests and win a maiden WTC title and a hattrick of series wins down under, Gavaskar told Revsportz:
“Yes, absolutely, they can. I think in the next two months, there should be an attempt to convince Hardik Pandya to play Test cricket. If he bowls ten overs a day to go with his batting, this Indian team could become invincible, and they can surely go on and win the WTC and beat Australia in Australia.”
Hardik Pandya boasts impressive all-round numbers in his 11 Tests with a batting average of over 31 and a bowling average of 31.05 with 17 wickets. Team India have reached the WTC final both times since its inception but suffered defeats to New Zealand and Australia in the summit clash, respectively. They will play Australia in an away five-Test series later this year.