Former India selector Sandeep Patil has slammed the national selectors questioning all-rounder Hardik Pandya’s selection in the ICC T20 World Cup squad. Incidentally, Pandya has been struggling with injury concerns for quite some time due to which he has refrained from bowling.
Moreover, he came into the global T20 event, having not bowled a single over for Mumbai Indians in the 2021 IPL. While footages emerged where Hardik Pandya can be seen bowling but Sandeep Patil stressed that the selectors should have conducted a fitness test before taking a call on Pandya’s selection in the national squad.
“His selection in the XI is up to the captain and the coach, and only the BCCI will know about it. But basically, if a player is not fit, then it comes to the selectors. If he didn’t bowl in the entire IPL, the selectors should have taken a call. They should have asked for a fitness test before including him in the team for the World Cup,” Patil said to TOI.
■■■■■■■■■■■□□□ LOADING@hardikpandya7 | #TeamIndia | #T20WorldCup pic.twitter.com/hlwtrGDfNR
— BCCI (@BCCI) October 28, 2021
“Someone has to be accountable. There’s no comment from (India coach) Ravi Shastri. Rohit Sharma and Ajinkya Rahane said that he’s fit. How can you say he’s fit, if he became unfit during the match? I mean, this is the World Cup, not just any series or match,” Sandeep Patil added.
MS Dhoni believes in Hardik Pandya’s abilities
Recent reports suggested that management was of the opinion to send Hardik Pandya back to India; however, Team India’s mentor MS Dhoni backed the all-rounder to come good.
India will play New Zealand in their next ICC T20 World Cup game on Sunday, October 31 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
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