IND v AUS 2020: Hardik Pandya reportedly making changes to his bowling action

Hardik Pandya is working to revamp his bowling action to gain the strength to bowl in international matches as well as to preclude any further injury to his back, a Times of India report has claimed.

It is believed that the 27-year-old is now working to adopt a more open-chest action.

Sources told TOI:

"It's a minor change. He is working on the counter rotation from his hip. He used to exert a lot in the delivery stride and that used to put a lot of stress on his back. This (remodeling) is why it is taking him so long to bowl in matches."

"It was always believed that his physique, his athleticism notwithstanding, was too frail to bear the kind of load that the team management expected him to."

Hardik Pandya's absence as a bowling option is hurting India

Hardik Pandya is one of the rare hard-hitting batting all-rounders in the Indian top shelf at the moment. His bowling skills haven't seen international eyes for a long time, though.

Although he underwent back surgery only in October last year, his lower-back troubles go back as far as the 2018 Asia Cup.

Hardik Pandya missed the home Test series against West Indies and a T20 series in Australia after that tournament.

Pandya played in the 2019 World Cup as an all-rounder but didn't look at his best bowling wise. This year, following the surgery, he was rested from the only series against New Zealand in January just before the pandemic-enforced hiatus. In the IPL 2020, he played only as a batsman for Mumbai Indians.

The report adds:

"After he could not travel to New Zealand, he was flown to London to consult his doctor. After that the NCA trainers swung into action and he gained weight and strength."

The absence of Hardik Pandya the bowler is hurting India, who are forced to play five specialist bowlers with no backup if anyone has an off-day.

Hardik Pandya tried his best to make up for it in the first ODI against Australia on Friday. He gave the Aussies a major scare with his highest ODI score of 90 as he lifted India from a perilous 101-4 to 308-8, eventually losing by 66 runs.

After the match, Pandya said that he doesn't want to rush the recovery and is looking toward the long-term goals of being able to bowl in the upcoming T20 World Cups in 2021 and 2022.

Virat Kohli's India will take on Aaron Finch-led Australia in the second ODI on Sunday.