Hardik Pandya, for the last couple of years, has been struggling with injuries. In the limited matches he has managed to play for India, he hasn’t bowled either. That is one of the key reasons he is no more considered for Tests, where his all-round skills are needed. But according to him, he is confident of returning to bowling at full tilt by the time T20 World Cup comes.
Speaking on the TOI Sportscast, Pandya explained his bowling plans. “For me, I want to make sure, and I will be able to, that I bowl in all the games of the (T20) World Cup. I am just trying to be smart and make sure that I don’t miss that. My full focus is on the World Cup,” Hardik explained.
For the record, Hardik hasn’t bowled much in international cricket since his back operation in 2019, and not even a single ball since then in the IPL.
“Yes, on the bowling front, what matters is how fit I am. Even after my surgery, I didn’t drop my pace. My bowling is related to my fitness. The fitter I get, the better it comes out. Whenever I play, I don’t want to play at 50%. (When) I play, I will play at 100%,” Hardik concluded.
Meanwhile, India have a lot of options in every department, for the T20 World Cup. But it looks like he will be the only seam-bowling all-rounder that India have at the moment. His fitness is paramount, as it helps Virat Kohli to play an addition bowler or batsman, depending on the situation.
The T20 World Cup will be played in India from October-November, just after the culmination of the IPL.
Get all the IPL news and Cricket Score here