BCCI wants to have Hardik Pandya and fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah in peak condition before going into the T20 World Cup later this year.
BCCI Prepares Hardik and Bumrah for T20 World Cup
Indian selection committee named Hardik Pandya in the first two test matches against England. Team India needs Hardik and Bumrah to be fully fit for the upcoming T20 World Cup scheduled in October-November.
The two key players of the team India has no ready-made replacement if they face an injury. For this reason, it has been decided not to overuse the two key assets in such a busy year.
“His (Pandya’s) inclusion for the Test series is because the team management wanted to monitor his progress closely. They want him to be ready for the away England Test series as he will be handier in those conditions.
There is no red-ball cricket in the domestic calendar this season, so this way, his bowling can also be monitored. With the T20 World Cup to be played down the year, we don’t want Pandya’s return to be a hasty one. A similar thought process has gone about Bumrah, and the team will use both of them wisely,” a BCCI official said.
Hardik Pandya has undergone back surgery
Pandya had a back surgery in 2019 and has mostly played in the Indian team as a specialist batsman since. He didn’t bowl for Mumbai Indians in the 2020 IPL either.
He bowled only four overs in the second ODI against Australia in Sydney. Pandya had remodelled his action and is working closely with former India pacer Zaheer Khan at Mumbai Indians.
Pandya played three ODIs and three T20Is on the recent tour of Australia where he showed what he could do as a batsman. He scored 90 and an unbeaten 92 in the one-dayers and played a crucial role in India’s T20I series victory. Bumrah has been a real asset with the ball in all formats and India doesn’t want to drain him out before the big ICC event.
For the Indian Check crew, the center order has choices like Ajinkya Rahane, Hanuma Vihari, Rishabh Pant, and Mayank Agarwal. Whereas the choice committee has picked all-rounders Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, and R Ashwin for the primary two England Assessments.
So far as the tempo assault is worried, Mohammed Shami and Umesh Yadav are but to regain full health.
