Former Indian cricket captain Kapil Dev has provided an honest opinion of Hardik Pandya’s participation in Test matches. Pandya if physically fit, should play red-ball cricket. However, Kapil Dev is doubtful that this will happen.
The ongoing debate within Indian cricket circles revolves around the question of whether Pandya’s physique can endure the rigors of Test cricket. Despite making his red-ball debut for India in 2017 during the Sri Lanka series, the 29-year-old has not featured in a Test match since the England tour in 2018.
Nasser Hussain, former England cricket captain, emphasized the significance of an all-rounder akin to Ben Stokes for India’s success in overseas Tests. When questioned about Pandya’s potential in red-ball cricket, Kapil Dev remarked to The Times of India, “Doesn’t look like he will.”
“It doesn’t appear that he will. I saw his photograph on a billboard today,” the Indian legend continued. “I’m not sure if they did any touch-ups or not. He appeared to have one of the best physiques in the country. Yes, he should play more cricket because he is so talented. If he is fit, he should also play Test cricket.”
Regarding the scarcity of fast-bowling all-rounders, Kapil Dev said, “I don’t believe in making direct comparisons between players. We have produced a large number of solid fast bowlers over the last two to three decades. This is a more important consideration.”
“It’s important to remember that spin-bowling all-rounders are just as valuable as fast-bowling all-rounders. Fortunately, the Indian squad has some outstanding talent in this area. Jadeja’s efforts are fantastic, and Ashwin’s superb performance speaks for itself. As a result, the assumption that we lack all-rounders is false,” he concluded.