4 reasons why Hardik Pandya is not India's main problem

It's fair to say that India's tour of England has not gone to plan so far. The men in blue find themselves 2-0 down in the five-match series. The defeat by an innings and 159 runs at Lord's was one of the most embarrassing ones for Indian cricket in a long time.

In such times, questions are bound to be raised. A lot of them by fans and the media have been directed towards Hardik Pandya. His inclusion in the test team was a controversial one and hence the spotlight has been on him. However, much of that is unfair and to no fault of his own.

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#4 Pandya's performances

From the outset, scores of 22, 31, 11 and 26 are not inspiring and might justify the criticism enforced on him. However, the numbers need to be viewed in context and subjectively. With 90 runs in four innings, Pandya is India's second highest run scorer in the series after the magnificent Virat Kohli.

Except for Kohli and Ravichandran Ashwin, none of the other Indian batsmen have even got a combined 50 runs in the series so far. While hardly getting to bowl in Edgbaston, When the captain did hand over the ball to him in the second test, Pandya responded by getting three wickets.

Eight months earlier, the story was similar in South Africa. The Baroda all-rounder with 119 runs in 6 innings was once again India's second highest run scorer in the series behind Virat Kohli.

In no means are Pandya's numbers good enough. If he wants to become a permanent member of the squad, he has to definitely do more. However, when the established batsmen have only half the runs he has in England, it is unfair to put the blame on someone who is yet to even play 10 test matches.

#3 Shown fight and determination

England v India: Specsavers 1st Test - Day Four

Every cricket follower is aware of Hardik Pandya's natural game. When one thinks of him, the swashbuckling and flamboyant limited overs player comes to mind. It's no secret that India has picked him up purely on limited overs form in test cricket. Hence, it's understandable when his presence in red ball cricket raises doubts.

However, Pandya has been an example for the senior batsman to follow in this side. In times, when apart from captain Kohli, each batsman has been falling playing a reckless stroke or unable to handle the conditions, Pandya has been an exception. The Baroda all-rounder has shown exceptional determination to grind and fight his way out. More often than not, he has not let his natural instincts of aggression come in the way of what the need of the hour was.

Pandya has battled the conditions and seam bowling better than anyone could have expected him too. Rarely, has one seen a loose shot by him. The only time, he failed to do so was in the first innings at Lord's, where the conditions were almost unplayable.

England's pace spearhead James Anderson himself said that "I think that if we bowled like that today, with those conditions we'd bowl most teams in the world out because I think we were that good." For someone this new to Test cricket and when the whole team managed 104, his poor shot should come as no surprise.

#2 Giving Ishant Sharma the strike at Edgbaston

England v India: Specsavers 2nd Test - Day Two

While Lord's was as one-sided a test match as there can be, the first match at Edgbaston was a nail-biting thriller. After Virat Kohli was dismissed for 51 in the fourth innings, India still needed 51 runs to win. With Mohammed Shami falling almost immediately, Hardik Pandya was joined by Ishant Sharma at the crease.

While the pacer managed 11 runs, Pandya received a lot of flak for giving him the strike. Evidently, it was frustrating for Indian fans to see the tail-ender being handed over the strike on the first ball for every over. Example of Virat Kohli shielding Umesh Yadav from batting was used to explain why what Pandya was doing was wrong

However, it was forgotten that when Umesh Yadav walked into bat, Pandya did the same thing. In the first innings, while Ishant was on the crease, even Virat Kohli was giving him the strike. Evidently, the team plan was to trust Ishant's skills with the bat, how can one expect the most inexperienced player in the team to do anything different than what his captain did?

#1 Ask why he is playing in the first place

England v India: Specsavers 2nd Test - Day Three

Having said all that, one can still understand if a person still believes Hardik Pandya is no test material. While he has shown signs of improvement, it can still be argued that the Mumbai Indians' star does not deserve a spot in the test team. However, even if one believes so, the questions must be directed at the selectors, coach, and captain.

Hardik has barely played any first-class cricket and when he did, the performances were barely path-breaking. In 26 first-class games, he averages only 29.36 with the bat and 36.73 with the ball. It must not be forgotten that nine of these 26 games have come at the test level. Clearly, Hardik was a player not ready for the longest format. Any cricket fan is aware that Test cricket is an unforgiving place, especially in overseas conditions.

It is India's desperation for a pace bowling all-rounder that has forced India to rush Pandya to red ball cricket. But one must have fair expectations of the player. At the moment, has he done worse than his capabilities? Or has he lacked commitment? Or does India have a better fast bowling all-rounder waiting in the wings?

Either India must allow Pandya to grow into the role or not play him at all before he gets runs and wickets in the Ranji Trophy. At the moment, he is just being made into a scapegoat, when there are bigger issues in the team.