India’s Test specialist batter Cheteshwar Pujara reckons expecting four overs from Hardik Pandya is not correct and feels the all-rounder can’t be the team’s fifth bowler. Pandya had done a fine job in the team’s opening game of the Asia Cup 2022 against Pakistan.

The right-arm pacer scalped three wickets and conceded only 25 runs in his quota of four overs. Pandya was then rested for the match against Hong Kong but he leaked 44 runs in the four overs he bowled against Pakistan in the Super Four contest.

As Avesh Khan was suffering from fever and Ravindra Jadeja was ruled out with a knee injury, India was playing with only five bowlers, including Hardik Pandya. Furthermore, Rohit Sharma decided not to give the ball to Deepak Hooda, who had played against Pakistan.

Meanwhile, Hardik Pandya has been bowling well in the recent past and he is consistently bowling around 140 km/h.

“Hardik has been bowling well, but we can’t consider him a fifth bowler. I think expecting four overs from him every time is not correct. However, we didn’t have enough choices because Avesh Khan was ill. In the future, there might be a few changes in the team, and if Hardik continues to play the role of the sixth bowler, it would be better,” Pujara noted during an interaction on ESPNCricinfo.

On the other hand, Pujara believes the partnership between Rizwan and Nawaz made all the difference. Rizwan scored 71 whereas Nawaz scored 20-ball 42 as the duo added 73 runs together for the third wicket. Pujara lauded the team management’s decision to promote Mohammad Nawaz in the batting order.

“I think Pakistan played very well, especially Mohammad Rizwan and Mohammad Nawaz’s promotion in the batting order. He played with a good strike rate which played an X-factor for Pakistan. Our bowling could have been better, but I feel that we could have scored 15-20 more runs on this wicket. It was 190-200 wickets. We didn’t bat well during the middle overs,” the India batter added.
India will take on Sri Lanka on Tuesday in Dubai.