Former Indian leg-spinner Piyush Chawla believes it would be imperative for the team management and selectors to manage Hardik Pandya’s workload during the three-match ODI series against Afghanistan. Pandya is a vital cog in India’s ODI team and he is going to hold the key for the team in the ODI World Cup.

The all-rounder is also rested for the upcoming UK tour, where India will play two T20Is against Ireland and five T20Is against England. Nitish Kumar Reddy has been picked as Pandya’s replacement. 

Meanwhile, Pandya scored 206 runs in 10 matches at an average of 22.89 and a strike rate of 138.25 in IPL 2026. Furthermore, he could only pick four wickets in 10 games at a high economy rate of 11.42. Thus, he could not deliver consistently for the franchise.

“You are thinking about the future. You will have to prepare for the 2027 World Cup from now itself. He might not bowl 10 overs at the start, but the captain and management would want to see if they could give him seven or eight overs in two spells,” Piyush Chawla said on Star Sports.

Chawla added that Pandya might not bowl his full quota of overs in the first two ODIs against the visitors.

“Then the workload can be increased slowly, because as you keep bowling, your body feels better, and you come into a better rhythm. So he might not bowl 10 overs in the first two games. However, six or seven overs in maybe two spells. The new ball has always been his strength as well,” Chawla observed.

The former MI spinner added a seam-bowling all-rounder will be paramount in the South African conditions in the ODI World Cup 2027.

“Hardik’s role will be important here. The conditions in which we are going to play the 2027 World Cup, you will need a fast-bowling all-rounder a lot there. Not only Hardik Pandya, but Nitish Kumar Reddy can also have a big role there,” he said.

The first ODI between India and Afghanistan will be played at Dharamshala on Saturday.