Former India coach Ravi Shastri feels the staff wants a first-choice all-rounder at quantity six, ruling out Hardik Pandya’s inclusion as a pure batter within the T20 World Cup in Australia.
Hardik has not been in a position to go full throttle with the ball since getting back from surgical procedure to deal with an injured again.
With the upcoming T20 World Cup offering India a possibility to make amends for his or her league-stage exit within the final version of the showpiece within the UAE, the staff administration will likely be keenly trying on the IPL for gamers who can match into the quantity six slot as an all-rounder and lend extra stability to the XI.
“I believe the all-rounder’s place at No. 6 for certain,” Shastri advised ESPNcricinfo on Wednesday.
“Ideally somebody within the top-five who can bowl two or three overs. That takes the stress off the captain. It offers him then six and a half bowlers from whom he can select.
“That will likely be one space I’ll be very carefully. And after all the quick bowling and fielding. I’m not likely frightened concerning the batting. Batting is there.”
Hardik Pandya was doing wonderful till he suffered a stress fracture of the again, and he hasn’t been the identical participant ever since.
Nevertheless, he has been made captain of an IPL staff for the primary time by Gujarat Titans.
However, Shastri nonetheless thinks Hardik will now battle to interrupt into the Indian T20 aspect as a pure batter as a result of it’s already filled with power-hitters.
“In the highest 5, there’s plenty of muscle there. If anybody’s occupying the place Nos. 5, 6 onwards, he’ll should carry that additional division to the sport.
“That is why from Hardik’s viewpoint, from India’s viewpoint, it is extraordinarily vital that he strings these two or three overs collectively as a result of if he does and bowls with even restricted success, he turns into an automated alternative within the Indian staff.”
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With inputs from TheIndianEXPRESS
