Ravi Shastri worries after Hardik Pandya is dropped from India’s ODI squad: ‘If you only bowl 3 overs instead of 10…’

Fitness concerns have been confirmed as one of the major reasons behind Hardik Pandya’s loss to Suryakumar Yadav to become India’s next T20I captain. Although he pulled out of the ODI series against Sri Lanka next month citing personal reasons, fitness, particularly around his bowling, reportedly remains a concern among the selectors with the Champions Trophy coming up next. Former India captain Ravi Shastri has voiced similar concerns but believes the ball is in Hardik’s court as he outlined his future path after turning down the T20I captaincy.

Hardik was Rohit Sharma’s deputy during India’s T20 World Cup-winning run last month and was therefore all set to take over the mantle in the format after the latter announced his retirement from T20Is after the tournament. However, when BCCI announced India’s squad for the ongoing Sri Lanka tour earlier this month, Hardik was listed only as a player while Suryakumar was named captain. The all-rounder, who had previously led India in three ODIs and 16 T20 matches in place of Rohit in the last two years, even lost his vice-captaincy post in both the white-ball formats.

BCCI chief selector Ajit Agarkar, speaking to the media last week, explained that India needed a captain whose availability was consistently reliable and hence Hardik, who has a long history of injuries, was not favoured.

In the latest edition of The ICC Review, Shastri expressed his concerns over Hardik’s bowling fitness but also gave the all-rounder some valuable advice on how he can make a comeback and even make the ODI squad for next year’s Champions Trophy.

“I think it’s very important that he continues to play,” Shastri told host Sanjana Ganesan. “I believe match fitness is very important. So whatever T20I cricket is there, he should play as much as possible. And if he is strong and fit, then of course he will be in the squad for the one-day game as well.

“But again, the bowling is going to be important. If someone comes along and only bowls three overs while you have to bowl 10 in a one-day game, then the balance of the side takes a hit. If you can bowl eight to 10 overs consistently in every game and then bat like him, I think he will play in one-day cricket as well.”

Due to a back injury in 2018, Hardik switched from Test cricket. He recovered without surgery and was included in the 2019 ODI World Cup squad, but the injury recurred later that year and he was forced to undergo surgery. He returned later in 2021, but only featured in the T20 World Cup squad as a batsman, which was a bummer for the Indian team.

More recently, Hardik suffered an ankle injury in India’s fourth match of last year’s ODI World Cup and was out until IPL 2024, where he had a forgettable season as the new captain of Mumbai Indians. But he bounced back in style and put in an impressive all-round display in last month’s T20 World Cup, including the final, where he dismissed the dangerous Heinrich Klaasen and then David Miller in the death overs to help the team end their 11-year ICC Trophy drought.

Shastri believes that Hardik’s recent performances should be enough motivation for him to get back to full fitness.

“So I think it’s really up to him, more than anything,” Shastri added. “He understands his body better than anyone else. And I’m sure that will inspire him, especially with the way he did in the World Cup, the way he performed at the right times for India and the World Cup, so that should really get him going. He shouldn’t need any motivation to get his fitness up there.”