'They shouldn't take the risk of making him play ODI cricket'- Shastri on Hardik Pandya

Former Team India head coach Ravi Shastri has said that all-rounder Hardik Pandya should only be playing T20 cricket for the next few months prior to the T20 World Cup later this year. Pandya recently returned to the national team for the T20I series against South Africa after he led the Gujarat Titans (GT) to glory in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022.

In the IPL 2022, Hardik Pandya smashed 487 runs from 15 matches which came at an average of 44.27, with four half-centuries to his name as well. Moreover, he claimed eight wickets, including a 3-fer in the final against the Rajasthan Royals (RR).

Shastri has also said that Pandya should get enough rest before the all-important T20 tournament in Australia, and his fitness needs to be taken care of as well. The veteran, who was also a part of India's 1983 World Cup-winning squad, has also said that Hardik Pandya has gained enough fitness to bowl a couple of overs in every match in the recently-concluded Indian Premier League.

"He will walk back into that squad for me either as a batter or as an all-rounder. I don't think he is that badly injured where he cannot bowl you two overs. He has had ample rest, and he will continue to have ample rest because that's the only format he should play going into the World Cup. They shouldn't take the risk of making him play ODI cricket," Ravi Shastri was quoted as saying on Star Sports show Game Plan.

"Massive, he does the job for two players. A Hardik Pandya playing just as a batter would mean he has to bat in the top four or five, but Hardik Pandya playing as an all-rounder, he can bat at five, six or four and still bowl those two-three overs for you," he further added.