Roger Binny feels Hardik Pandya will make the difference for India in the Test series

Team India is struggling with injury concerns to their top players in the ongoing Test series against Australia. While Prithvi Shaw has already been ruled out of the series, Ravi Ashwin and Rohit Sharma missed the second Test due to different injury reasons. But they got the much-needed boost in Hardik Pandya who proved his fitness in a Ranji Trophy game and was straightaway picked for the last two Tests of the series.

The all-rounder himself during his playing days, Roger Binny feels that Hardik’s inclusion will turn things around for the visitors. He stressed the importance of a batsman at number seven or eight who can contribute with the bat and then do the job with the ball as well and went on to say that an all-rounder is the vital cog in any team.

“Hardik Pandya can contribute 30-40 runs consistently. It will definitely help the bottom half. It always makes a difference. I am always for an all-rounder in the XI. He can do the job of both. He is the most important player in the team,” Binny said while speaking to CricTracker.

Moreover, he also felt that India hasn’t been giving much importance to the all-rounders these days and they cannot rely on the specialist bowlers. “We don’t seem to be encouraging too many all-rounders. you cannot rely on specialist bowlers to bat. Once you are six down team is in trouble,” the 53-year-old added.

Openers should be given another chance

Roger Binny was also not critical about the Indian openers’ poor show in the first two Tests. He pointed out that the pitch in Perth was very unusual to the conditions in Australia and they should be given another chance before exploring more options. KL Rahul and Murali Vijay haven’t been performing to the potential for a long time now and it remains to be seen if they will be retained for the Boxing Day Test.

“I think experience wise they should be given one more shot. You can’t judge them as the last Test pitch wasn’t an easy wicket to bat on. They need one more chance and probably if they don’t make it count then you have to look at other options,” Binny further said.

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