Former Indian head coach Ravi Shastri reckons the team management and selectors shouldn’t take the risk of playing Hardik Pandya in ODI cricket before the T20 World Cup. Pandya had performed brilliantly for Gujarat Titans in the recently concluded Tata IPL 2022.

Pandya amassed 487 runs in 15 matches at an impressive average of 44.27 and scored his runs at a strike rate of 131.27 in Tata IPL 2022 and thus played a huge role in the success of his team.

However, Pandya didn’t bowl in all the matches for Gujarat Titans and thus there is always doubt about his workload. Shastri feels it is imperative for the national team to manage the all-rounder’s workload.

There is no doubt that Pandya adds a lot of value as an all-rounder to the team and he is going to hold the key in the T20 World Cup.

“He will walk back into that squad for me either as a batter or as an all-rounder. I don’t think he is that badly injured where he cannot bowl you two overs. He has had ample rest and he will continue to have ample rest because that’s the only format he should play going into the World Cup. They shouldn’t take the risk of making him play ODI cricket,” said Shastri in Star Sports’ Game Plan.

Shastri added that Pandya does the job of two players for the team as he can deliver the goods with both bat and ball.

“Massive, he does the job for two players. A Hardik Pandya playing just as a batter would mean he has to bat in the top four or five but Hardik Pandya playing as an all-rounder, he can bat at five, six or four and still bowl those two-three overs for you,” said the former India head coach.

Hardik Pandya will be in action in the upcoming five-match series against South Africa and he will look to deliver the goods for the national team. The first T20I will be played at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi on Thursday.