Former Pakistan player Salman Butt has shared that India all-rounder Hardik Pandya will be in the squad even despite being his poor show in recent times. Notably, he has been dropped from the home series against New Zealand.
However, Hardik Pandya had a poor T20 World Cup 2021 campaign, apart from his unbeaten 35 off 13 balls. While talking about his future in international cricket is in danger, Butt said that it is too early to say if it’s in danger. He added that India backed him in the recently-concluded mega-event despite him being unfit, which proves how highly he is rated there as well.
While speaking on his YouTube channel, Salman Butt said: “Don’t think Hardik Pandya is out of the scheme of things. It is not a case of him having to go back and do the grind of domestic cricket all over again. We saw that in spite of him not being fit, he was carried along (during the T20 World Cup). But yes, he will have to work on his fitness and his body.”
Hardik Pandya’s prized possession seized at Mumbai airport
The experienced all-rounder had bowled in only two matches out of five in the T20 World Cup 2021 Super 12 stages in the UAE. And, he went wicketless too. Apart from that, Hardik Pandya has come into the scanner for the FIR controversy as well.
However, Hardik Pandya has released a statement on Twitter about this, where he added: “I had voluntarily declared all the items that I’d lawfully purchased from Dubai and was ready to pay whatever duties that needed to be paid. As a matter of fact, the customs department had asked for all purchase documents which were submitted; however customs is doing proper valuation for duty which I’ve already confirmed to pay.”
— hardik pandya (@hardikpandya7) November 16, 2021
As far as Team India’s ongoing series is concerned, they have won the first T20I against New Zealand and are all set to take on the same opponent for the second match on Friday.
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