Hardik Pandya will have to start bowling frequently now: Aakash Chopra

Cricketer-turned-commentator Aakash Chopra feels the sooner Hardik Pandya starts bowling, India’s team balance and composition will look even stronger and great. Off late, the allrounder is not bowling in the team, due to a dodgy back, which he also underwent surgery in 2020. In fact, Pandya has not bowled much in the two editions of the Indian Premier League (IPL) in 2020 and 2021. Clearly, his absence in the bowling department has disturbed the team combinations, especially in the limited-overs format.

But Pandya spoke about returning to bowling sooner rather than later during the ICC T20 World Cup 2021. He is in the squad for the team’s limited-overs series against Sri Lanka and it would be interesting to see if Shikhar Dhawan hands him the bowl. Chopra spoke about the same and is hoping to see the allrounder bowl in the series which is set to begin on July 13.

In a video shared on his YouTube Channel, the 43-year-old spoke about how Pandya’s bowling will benefit team India in a long run. “He will have to start bowling now. He bowled a few overs in Australia, then you played against England and in the IPL. You didn’t bowl for your team in the IPL as well. It’s been a very patchy kind of ride.”

Aakash Chopra reckons Hardik Pandya will lend much more balance to the squad while bowling

The former India opener also pointed how a seam-bowling allrounder is essential in India doing well in all the formats of the game. The 43-year-old also feels Pandya brings a lot more value to the team as a bowler.

“You were looking at him for Test cricket but he is not available for you there as well because he is not bowling. When you look at it from that vantage point, there is only one player like Hardik Pandya, he provides balance. Hardik Pandya as a fast-bowling all-rounder, Ravindra Jadeja as a spinning all-rounder, and Washington Sundar with them, it becomes a superb team.”

Chopra further concluded by saying that he wants to see Pandya bowl his full quota of overs in all of the six white-ball matches.