Red-ball regular Cheteshwar Pujara has hit out at Team India management for putting too much trust in Baroda all-rounder Hardik Pandya.
Ever since his comeback from an injury layoff, Hardik has been on a hot run in Twenty-20 cricket. That has promoted Rohit to give him his full quota of overs quite often.
Hardik Pandya captained Gujarat Titans to the 2022 IPL title and was one of the central figures in their triumph. Following that, he made his international comeback and has been brilliant for Team India.
Cheteshwar Pujara believes India shouldn’t use Hardik as their 5th bowler
India succumbed to Pakistan in a last-over thriller on September 4 in the Super Four stage of the 2022 Asia Cup and apparently, playing Hardik as the team’s fifth bowler contributed to it.
He went for 44 runs and remained the most expensive Indian bowler in the game as the Men in Blue failed to defend a mammoth score of 181 runs.
Test great Cheteshwar Pujara has been quick to slam Team India management’s mistake in public in an interview with ESPNCricInfo.
“Hardik Pandya has been bowling well. But we can’t consider him a 5th bowler. I think expecting four overs from him every time is not correct”.
Pujara also added that India didn’t have many options for this game in particular, but in the future, Hardik should only be used as the 6th bowling option.
“However, we didn’t have enough choices because Avesh Khan was ill. In the future, there might be a few changes in the team. If Hardik continues to play the role of the sixth bowler, it would be better”, said Cheteshwar Pujara to complete his advice to Team India management.
Though Hardik took three wickets in the group stage game against Pakistan not long ago, a terrible turn of tables saw him get smacked left, right, and centre in the September 4 match-up against the arch-rivals.
In the past too, Hardik has been expensive in IPL and T20 internationals at times. However, he is still a huge wicket-taker.
Therefore, the take of Cheteshwar Pujara to use HP as the 6th bowler (a wicket-taking option that doesn’t always bowl four overs) makes some sense.
Moreover, bowling 2-3 overs a game will also help Hardik Pandya stay injury-free for longer periods of time.
