‘Always amuses me that he’s termed as all-rounder from Baroda’ – Dav Whatmore slams Hardik Pandya for infrequent domestic appearances

Hardik Pandya. (Source – Getty Images)

Hardik Pandya is reportedly set to feature in the upcoming Vijay Hazare Trophy for Baroda as the BCCI selectors will be monitoring his bowling fitness in 50-over cricket. He has often been criticized for his lack of appearances in domestic cricket.

Hardik’s last T20 appearance for Baroda was way back in 2016. Meanwhile, in 2018, he played his last first-class match for his domestic side. Hardik’s sporadic domestic appearances were lambasted by former Baroda coach Dav Whatmore. The Australian is known for his coaching stints with teams like Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Zimbabwe among others. He was in the Baroda coaching setup in the 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 seasons. However, he missed the services of one of the finest cricketers the city has ever produced.

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“There’s still some individuals who don’t play white-ball cricket. For example, in my last few years in Baroda, Hardik Pandya wouldn’t ever play white-ball cricket. It always amuses me that he’s termed as the all-rounder from Baroda but he hasn’t played for Baroda for years! So, yes, there are some who don’t do that,” said Whatmore while talking on a Pakistani YouTube channel, Pak Passion.

“But recently, I’ve seen that the BCCI have been keen that players participate in the Ranji Trophy as well as other two formats to ensure they see cricket as sports. Efforts are made to make sure 4-day cricket is not neglected,” Whatmore added.

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Hardik, however, has been a regular feature in the Indian Premier League since his debut in 2015. He has also been a key player for the Indian team in limited-overs cricket because of his all-round abilities. The 30-year-old played a crucial role in India’s triumphant T20 World Cup-winning campaign. He is part of India’s squad for the upcoming T20I tour of Sri Lanka but has been stripped of vice-captaincy. Meanwhile, he won’t be featuring in the ODI series against the Lankan Lions. Hardik would want to build on his impressive outing in the T20 World Cup and help India win games in the Island Nation.