Sunil Gavaskar and Hardik Pandya. (Source -Twitter/X)
It has been almost six years since Hardik Pandya’s last appearance in a Test match but the legendary Sunil Gavaskar, who turned 75 years old on Wednesday, feels that the all-rounder’s return to the red-ball setup could make India invincible.
Hardik has consistently featured in India’s limited-overs sides when he is fully fit as his all-round abilities make him a valuable asset for the Asian giants. He has battled several injuries in his career but when he is in optimum shape, the Baroda all-rounder makes vital contributions with both bat and ball. He has played 86 ODIs and 100 T20Is so far in his career but appeared in only 11 Tests.
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Gavaskar opined that the inclusion of Hardik in the Test side could make India very difficult to beat and they could also go on to win the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy and the World Test Championship Final. The former India captain suggested that the management should speak to the 30-year-old and try to convince him to play Test cricket.
“Yes, absolutely, they can. I think in the next two months, there should be an attempt to convince Hardik Pandya to play Test cricket. If he bowls ten overs a day to go with his batting, this Indian team could become invincible, and they can surely go on and win the WTC and beat Australia in Australia,” Gavaskar said in a chat with RevSportz.
A look at Hardik Pandya’s short but impressive Test career
In the 11 Tests that Hardik played, he scored 532 runs at an average of 31.29, registering four fifties and a solitary century, which came off just 70 balls against Sri Lanka in his debut series. With the ball, he bagged 17 wickets at an average of 31.06. He also took a five-for against England at Trent Bridge in his penultimate Test.
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After having a miserable time in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024, Hardik excelled during the recently concluded T20 World Cup. His all-round exploits helped India win the coveted title for a record-equalling second time. Hardik’s confidence will be at an all-time high after his heroics in the marquee event and if he is fit, he could add a lot of value in the red-ball arena.