Kapil Dev’s Insights on Hardik Pandya’s Prospects in Test Cricket
Kapil Dev, former India legend and World Cup-winning captain, expressed his belief that all-rounder Hardik Pandya will not be featuring in many Test matches in the near future. While acknowledging Pandya’s potential contribution to the Indian team in red-ball cricket, Dev does not foresee it happening extensively.
“I saw his photo on the billboard today. I’m not sure if they did any editing, but he looked like he has one of the best bodies in the country. He definitely has the talent and should play more cricket. If he’s in good shape, he should even consider playing Test cricket,” he added.
Pandya is a highly skilled all-rounder in the world of cricket, known for his immense talent. Unfortunately, injuries have plagued his career and hindered his ability to participate in Test cricket.
Despite facing setbacks, Pandya remains dedicated to his Test cricket career and is actively striving towards regaining full fitness.
The Indian Test team is still uncertain about Pandya’s ability to overcome his recurring injuries and secure a permanent spot in the lineup.
Kapil Dev also shared his insights on Team India’s prospects in the upcoming ODI World Cup, emphasizing the importance of securing a place in the top four to have a shot at winning. He highlighted that once a team reaches the semifinals, luck and favorable circumstances become crucial factors. However, he emphasized that the primary focus should be on ensuring qualification for the top four positions.
In a disappointing turn of events, Hardik Pandya became the first Indian captain in 17 years to lose a bilateral series against West Indies. Despite being the number one ranked T20I team in the world, India couldn’t secure a victory against the seventh-ranked side. Moreover, it’s worth noting that West Indies failed to qualify for last year’s T20 World Cup. On the flip side, this series win serves as a much-needed boost for the West Indies team. As two-time world champions who hit a low point when they didn’t make it to the 50-overs World Cup in June, defeating Men in Blue at this moment is crucial for their resurgence efforts.
As India suffered a heavy defeat in Lauderhill, Florida, many unwanted records were broken. Among the players, no one faced more criticism than Hardik. Despite leading the Gujarat Titans to their first IPL title and achieving a runner-up finish earlier this year, doubts have been raised about Hardik’s captaincy. Fans and experts alike have questioned decisions like not utilizing Yuzvendra Chahal for all four overs in the 2nd T20I and promoting himself up the batting order without producing results. Furthermore, Hardik’s batting form has been lacking for quite some time now. With two major tournaments approaching, fans believe that his place in the Indian squad should no longer be guaranteed.
However, Pandya brings a unique combination of skills to the Indian team that few of his compatriots possess: all-round abilities. Given India’s struggles in finding quality all-rounders, both Hardik and Ravindra Jadeja have become indispensable assets. Former England captain Nasser Hussain recently emphasized the need for fast-bowling all-rounders like Mitchell Marsh and Cameron Green within the Indian team. Unfortunately for Team India, Hardik is their sole representative in this category. Since the days of Kapil Dev and to some extent Irfan Pathan, Hardik epitomizes the ideal blend of pace bowling and batting prowess. Furthermore, his additional contribution as a potential leader enhances his indispensability even more so.
As Hardik Pandya makes a comeback, discussions about his possible return to the Indian Test team have gained momentum. However, Hardik himself is cautious and expresses doubts about his body’s ability to handle the demands of all three formats simultaneously, a concern shared by former Indian captain Kapil Dev. While Kapil holds a guarded outlook on Hardik’s re-entry into Tests, he also shares his desire to see Pandya play a prominent role in future matches.
“It doesn’t seem like he will. I saw his photo on the billboard today. I’m not sure if they retouched it or not, but in that picture, he looked like he has one of the best bodies in the country. Yes, he should play more cricket because he has so much talent. If he’s healthy, he should even play Test cricket,” said Kapil to TOI.
On the other hand, Kapil disagrees with Hussain’s claim that fast-bowling all-rounders are the only way forward for India. He acknowledges that finding influential all-rounders may not have been India’s strength. However, amidst these challenges, there are several positive aspects that the BCCI and team management can take pride in.
“I don’t believe it’s fair to compare players. Over the past two or three decades, we have seen a significant number of talented fast bowlers emerge that we can rely on. And that reliability is crucial. It’s not just about having fast-bowling all-rounders; we also need spin-bowling all-rounders in the team. Fortunately, the Indian team has some exceptional players in this regard. Jadeja is absolutely fantastic, and Ashwin has been performing exceptionally well too. So, it’s not accurate to say that we lack all-rounders.” Kapil further added.
