Hardik Pandya needs to put on muscle, have good food to survive in all formats: Salman Butt

India’s all-rounder Hardik Pandya is witnessing a tough time in his career lately. He is reportedly been asked to report to the National Cricket Academy (NCA) to regain his fitness and mojo. The former Pakistan cricketer Salman Butt has thus asserted that it would go down to help Pandya get back his rhythm.

Considering the possibilities of Hardik training at NCA, Butt reckoned that he should make most of this time in order to put on some muscles. He also pointed that the all-rounder must train hard to return completely fit to play across the formats.

“It is a good decision. Hardik Pandya needs to put on muscle. He needs to train and have good food for him to survive in all three formats. Otherwise, it will become challenging for him, with his lean structure,” Butt said as quoted by HT.

Hardik Pandya’s dismaying form lately

He did not appear to be at his absolute best in the IPL 2021. Pandy struggled to fetch impactful performances in the high-profile tournament. The scripts quite did not change in the T20 World Cup 2021 as well. From the five matches, he played in the multination tournament he scored 69 runs, with his highest score being 35.

The all-rounder did not bowl a lot of overs in the mega event as well. He wasn’t included in the three-match T20I series against New Zealand. Opening up on his omission, former India cricketer Gautam Gambhir had backed Pandya to make a stronger comeback.

He had stated that it will be difficult for India to find his replacement early on. He also reckoned if the all-rounder bowls regularly and works on his fitness he should definitely be given a chance.

“You won’t find a No.6 in one day. Nor will you find a replacement for it. And you cannot count out Hardik Pandya as well. People have already started writing him off, but if he keeps himself fit, does regular bowling, comes back to form, he should definitely get a chance, he is still young.

But with that if you give other players a chance as well, and give them a longer rope, only then will you understand their capability,” Gambhir had earlier stated.