Sydney: In the first ODI series Virat Kohli and men lost to Australia by 66 runs at the Sidney cricket ground on Friday (November 27).
Ace Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya, scored 90 against Australia in the first ODI at SCG which unfortunately went in vain. He said he is still not comfortable enough to bowl,
after recovering from a severe lower-back injury.
Pandya also admitted that India are certainly short of options in the bowling department, and claimed India’s want for another all-rounder, To solve India’s all-rounder problem till he isn’t allowed to bowl, Hardik cheekily suggested that the team can perhaps ‘look in the Pandya family’, referring to brother Krunal Pandya, who is an integral part of IPL franchise Mumbai Indians(MI).
“Maybe we should look in the Pandya family only. There is one sitting at home,” Hardik Pandya said after the match.
“That has been the question always, right? We have to find and maybe make… I have always believed that… even when I came into the circuit, I was not always the all-rounder which I wanted to be. But with time I groomed myself and became that bowling option. I worked on my bowling.” he added.
He also said that having only five bowling options puts great pressure on the team, since it’s almost impossible to recover if someone has an off-day.
” Yeah, it is always going to be difficult when you go with five bowlers. When someone is having an off day you don’t have someone to fulfil the quota. More than injury, the sixth bowler’s role is when someone among the five bowlers is having a bad day. I think it is going to be… maybe we will have to make, maybe we will have to find someone who has already played India, and groom them and find a way to make them play,” he added.
Speaking on the same, Pandya said he wants to preserve his bowling capacity for the upcoming ICC events.
“I am looking at a long-term goal where I want to be 100 percent of my bowling capacity for the most important games. The World Cups are coming. More crucial series are coming. Whenever it is required,” Pandya said of his bowling. It is just that I am not game-ready but I am bowling. It is all about confidence and the skill has to be at an international level.” Pandya said.
