India captain Rohit Sharma, head coach Rahul Dravid and selection committee chairman Ajit Agarkar met in Mumbai last week to discuss India’s T20 World Cup squad, The Indian Express reported. The main agenda for the meeting which lasted for two hours in the middle IPL 2024 Hardik Pandya was included in the World Cup squad. There is still some time for selectors to pick India’s final 15 for the World Games to be held in USA and West Indies after the 17th edition of IPL but the Indian team management is worried about Hardik’s bowling fitness.
The Mumbai Indians The skipper, under immense pressure both on and off the field, has been underwhelming so far in this season’s IPL. Hardik Pandya He scored only 131 runs in 6 matches. Apart from a whirlwind innings against RCB where he scored 21* off just 6 balls, there are questions about his approach in the middle overs, where he failed to score at the desired strike rate.
Rohit, the concern of Dravid and Agarkar, is more about their bowling. Many in the current Indian set-up can play Pandya’s role as a batsman in T20s but not many can do it while ensuring four overs as the team’s third seamer. That is where Pandya is unique and adds balance to the XI.
But he has been horribly off color with the ball this season. He lacks consistency and clarity. Moreover, Pandya has bowled his full quota only twice – in MI’s first two matches against Gujarat Titans and Sunrisers Hyderabad – in six matches so far. He did not bowl a single over against Delhi Capitals and Rajasthan Royals. He got the ball again against Royal Challengers Bangalore but for just one over. In MI’s last match against Chennai Super Kings, Pandya bowled three overs but was hit by MS Dhoni for three back-to-back sixes in the last over.
In the 11 overs bowled by Pandya in IPL 2024, he has taken just three wickets and leaked runs for 12 runs per over. While there is no fitness-related problem with his bowling, his form is a concern.
According to the report, the selectors will consider Pandya for the T20 World Cup only if he bowls well regularly in the IPL. With an extra bowler always at his disposal in the IPL due to the impact player rule, expecting four overs from Pandya in every match is a bit much.
Who will replace Hardik Pandya in India’s T20 World Cup squad?
In a hypothetical world, what options do India have if they accept the gutsy call not to pick Pandya for the T20 World Cup? An obvious choice Shivam Dubey. He has done enough with the bat to earn a place in India’s T20 World Cup squad. He is a left-hander and can give the innings a much-needed boost in the middle overs with his big hits.
But can he get the job done with the ball? Dubey has not bowled a single ball in this IPL. CSK has used him as an impact player for his batting.
Other names that can be thrown into the mix are Vijay Shankar and Venkatesh Iyer. The former has fallen behind in the pecking order and Iyer’s problem is similar to Dubey’s. KKR had many bowling options and the captain did not need to fall back on Iyer.
Logically, there shouldn’t be much threat to Pandya’s place in the T20 World Cup but there are indications that the selectors and the team management are worried about his bowling and fitness. It’s a good time, he will turn things around in the IPL, for MI and for himself.