IND V AUS 2020: ‘Bowler’ Hardik Pandya working towards being 100 percent fit for T20 World Cups

Team India all-rounder Hardik Pandya top-scored for the team with 90 from 76 against Australia at Sydney in the first ODI. However, his inability to bowl exposed a gaping hole in India’s bowling attack as they were forced to adopt a five-bowler strategy, and conceded a mammoth 374.

Hardik Pandya hasn’t bowled since returning to competitive cricket following surgery for a back injury. He even played the IPL as a pure batsman. And, he has stated that he wouldn’t be rushing back to bowling soon as he wants to be 100% fit with two T20 World Cups coming up.

Speaking after India’s 66-run loss in the first one-dayer at Sydney, Hardik Pandya explained,

"I am looking at a long-term goal where I want to be 100% of my bowling capacity for the most important games. The World Cups are coming. More crucial series are coming," Hardik Pandya said.

"I am thinking as a long-term plan, not short-term where I exhaust myself and maybe have something else (injury) which is not there. So it is going to be a process, which I am following. I can't tell you exactly when I am going to bowl but the process is going on," he said.

"In the nets, I am bowling. It is just that I am not game-ready but I am still bowling. It is all about confidence and the skill (that) has to be (there) at an international level," the 27-year-old further added.

Bowler Hardik Pandya’s absence hurts India at SCG

Not the best way to start a tour but glad to have got the chance to spend some time in the middle. Onwards and upwards 💪 pic.twitter.com/JuFnvTAukV

— hardik pandya (@hardikpandya7) November 27, 2020

Although India have a strong bowling line-up, playing with only five specialist bowlers is a ploy fraught with risk as even the best bowler can have an off day. India had to pay for employing the tactic at Sydney as not one but three of their bowlers had poor outings.

Leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal went for 89 in his 10, Navdeep Saini for 83, and Jasprit Bumrah for 73. Admitting that India missed the sixth bowler, Hardik Pandya added:

“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 from the five bowlers is having a bad day, they come and fill those overs so the other guy gets more cushion. 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.

Virat Kohli also admitted that the lack of a sixth bowler due to Hardik Pandya's inability to bowl is a big worry for India. The visitors lost the opening ODI by 66 runs after conceding a massive total. India replied with 308 for 8 to Australia’s 374 for 6.