Former Indian head coach Ravi Shastri has predicted that Hardik Pandya might retire from ODIs after the 2023 World Cup. Pandya had earlier revealed that his body is not ready for the adversities of Test cricket and he wants to give his best in the limited overs format for the national team. The all-rounder had played his last Test match back in 2018.
Pandya excels in the white-ball versions of the game and wants to give his best. In fact, recently England’s talisman all-rounder Ben Stokes retired from ODI cricket after he admitted that playing all three forms of the game is just unsustainable for him. The ODI format has come under the scanner as the T20 format is making a lot of profit and Test cricket is known for its purity.
Meanwhile, Pandya returned to the game in the IPL after a long break and since then he has been playing at the top of his game. Pandya adds a lot of balance to the team as a seam-bowling all-rounder and he adds value, especially while playing in overseas conditions.
Shastri believes Pandya will give preference to T20I cricket in his career as he excels in the format.
“Test cricket will always remain because of the importance it brings to the game. You have players already choosing what formats they want to play. Take a Hardik Pandya. He wants to play T20 cricket, and he is very clear in his mind that ‘I do not want to play anything else. He will play 50-over cricket because there is a World Cup in India next year. After that, you might see him going from that as well. You will see a similar thing happening with other players, they will start choosing formats, and they have every right to,” Shastri was quoted by India Today.
On the other hand, former Indian all-rounder Shastri reckons the ICC will need to churn the volume of the ODI bilateral series. The big teams have a tight schedule in the Future Tour Programme and the players are prone to injuries and are struggling to maintain equilibrium, both physically and mentally.
“It is going to happen, there is going to be franchise cricket that is going to rule the roost around the world. Then how will you have international cricket? You will have to cut the volume, you have to cut bilateral cricket, and go in that direction. You will never be able to stop different players going and playing for different franchises,” added Shastri.
Pandya will look to give his best and he is currently been rested for the ongoing ODI series against West Indies. The all-rounder will return to action in the five-match T20I series against the Caribbean nation.
