Star India all-rounder Hardik Pandya is in the process of regaining peak fitness heading into the 2027 ODI World Cup in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia. However, the BCCI reportedly has no plans to rush the player as they want Hardik to be fully fit and firing for the marquee event next year. In Hardik’s absence, India have tried a handful of players to fill the pace-bowling all-rounder’s role, including Shivam Dube and Nitish Kumar Reddy. In fact, the management has even played pacer Harshit Rana in that role, given his raw batting potential.
“However, former India batter Krishnamachari Srikkanth has raised concerns over the lack of quality bowling all-rounders who are at the team management’s disposal.
The former BCCI selector claimed that apart from Hardik, India do not have any genuine all-rounder, with Reddy being the second-best after him.
“Players like Dube and Harshit Rana can’t be called all-rounders. Then I can call myself a great all-rounder if these two are called that. Hardik Pandya is the only genuine all-rounder. Nitish Kumar Reddy is a half all-rounder, who can bat at No.7 and bowl a few overs,” said Srikkanth on Star Sports.
Srikkanth also slammed the team management for sidelining veteran Ravindra Jadeja from the team, while noting that the player has been a ‘silent killer’ for the team and should be kept in the loop.
“I am not sure why Ravindra Jadeja has been totally let go. He only did brilliantly in the 2023 World Cup. He is a silent killer. It’s not like he has announced retirement in ODIs. Yet, he doesn’t play ODIs at all and rarely plays in Tests despite producing match-winning performances when he does. I still believe Jadeja should be in the scheme of things and in the squad if he performs well,” he added.
According to reports, Hardik has been undergoing a “performance block” programme at the BCCI’s CoE.
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