‘Someone has to be accountable’ – Sandeep Patil questions Hardik Pandya’s selection in India’s T20 World Cup squad

Former Indian cricketer Sandeep Patil has hit out at the national selectors for picking Hardik Pandya in the T20 World Cup squad despite the latter unsure of bowling in the tournament. Pandya has been jostling with injury concerns for quite some time due to which he has refrained from bowling. He came into the WC, having not bowled a single over for Mumbai Indians in the 2021 IPL.

Footages of Pandya bowling on Wednesday in Dubai did the rounds, but whether or not he bowls during match-time remains to be seen. Patil said that the selectors should have conducted a fitness test before taking a call on Pandya’s selection in the national squad.

They should have asked for a fitness test, says Sandeep Patil

“His selection in the XI is up to the captain and the coach, and only the BCCI will know about it. But basically, if a player is not fit, then it comes to the selectors. If he didn’t bowl in the entire IPL, the selectors should have taken a call. They should have asked for a fitness test before including him in the team for the World Cup,” Patil was quoted as saying in TOI.

“Someone has to be accountable. There’s no comment from (India coach) Ravi Shastri. Rohit Sharma and Ajinkya Rahane said that he’s fit. How can you say he’s fit, if he became unfit during the match? I mean, this is the World Cup, not just any series or match,” he added.

A source said that the selectors wanted to send Pandya back home, but MS Dhoni, Team India’s mentor for the World Cup, believed in his finishing skills.

Former Indian skipper and selector Dilip Vengsarkar reckoned that “all the decision-makers in this case, the captain, coach, physio and the selectors, would have assessed the situation regarding Pandya.”

In their first match against Pakistan in Dubai on October 24, India looked short of a bowler. The Men in Green won the game by 10 wickets after Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam stitched together a 150 plus run stand.

India’s second game of the Super 12s is against New Zealand on Sunday, October 31 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.

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