Former India wicketkeeper Parthiv Patel has expressed concerns about the performance of all-rounder Hardik Pandya, emphasizing the need for him to regain his batting form before the eagerly-awaited ODI World Cup. Patel’s comments have come after Hardik’s underwhelming performance in the recent T20I series against the West Indies, where he managed just 77 runs across five matches.
In a candid interview with Cricbuzz, Parthiv Patel was critical of certain decisions made by the team’s skipper and highlighted Hardik’s struggles at the crease. Patel pointed out a specific incident from the series where Hardik chose to hand an over to Axar Patel instead of the experienced Yuzvendra Chahal, which, according to Patel, underscores Hardik’s ongoing development as a captain.
“Hardik Pandya, in his role as India’s captain, is clearly a work in progress,” emphasized Parthiv Patel. He further raised concerns about Hardik’s batting form, noting that his performances in the IPL and recent series have been lackluster. Patel stressed the importance of Hardik finding his rhythm and scoring runs before the upcoming World Cup.
The context of Patel’s remarks is India’s series loss against a relatively inexperienced West Indies team, which saw India concede the five-match T20I series with a score of 3-2. While the composition of the squads for the Asia Cup and ODI World Cup is yet to be confirmed, there is strong speculation that Hardik Pandya will secure his position in both lineups.
The highly-anticipated Asia Cup is slated to commence on September 2, with an exciting clash between traditional rivals India and Pakistan. Subsequently, India’s World Cup journey will begin on October 8, as they take on five-time champions Australia at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.
The road ahead poses significant challenges for Hardik Pandya, who must rekindle his form and confidence to ensure his readiness for the upcoming ODI events. As the cricketing community watches with anticipation, the spotlight remains on the dynamic all-rounder as he strives to reclaim his prowess and contribute to India’s success on the international stage once again.
