Former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly has expressed concern regarding Hardik Pandya and reckons that the allrounder has not played enough cricket ahead of the T20 World Cup 2024.
Hardik is a key player for the Indian team due to his versatile skills and an ability to contribute with the bat and the ball. His form however will be a concern ahead of the big event.
Team India will play their first match on June 5, against Ireland at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, New York
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Is Sourav Ganguly's concern legit - has Hardik Pandya not played enough cricket?
Speaking in an exclusive interview to RevSportz, the former Indian captain, Sourav Ganguly, raised concern about Hardik Pandya's lack of game time and form ahead of the T20 WC, saying:
"I am worried a little bit about Hardik because he hasn't played enough cricket and that's a worry. I want him to consistently play cricket, for only then can he hit a rich vein of form. I would want him to do so, and it can only happen if he plays a lot more cricket."
Pandya was out of action for several months since suffering an ankle injury during the ODI World Cup in October 2023 and had only made his return to competitive cricket during the recent Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024.
The 30-year-old allrounder, however, had an underwhelming season as the captain of the Mumbai Indians team, who finished bottom of the point table.
Hardik Pandya in IPL 2024:
| Matches | Runs | Bat Avg | SR | HS | Wickets | Bowl Avg | Economy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 | 216 | 18 | 143 | 46 | 11 | 35.18 | 10.75 |
Even more concerning was that he looked out-of-form and underperformed with both the bat and the ball in the tournament. Therefore, Ganguly raises a valid concern regarding the allrounder's lack of game time ahead of the big T20 World Cup.
India's schedule for the T20 World Cup 2024
Team India will play Ireland on June 5 at New York to start off their T20 World Cup 2024 campaign.
| Date | Time (IST) | Opposition | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| June 5, 2024 | 8 PM | Ireland | Eisenhower Park, New York |
| June 9, 2024 | 8 PM | Pakistan | Eisenhower Park, New York |
| June 12, 2024 | 8 PM | USA | Eisenhower Park, New York |
| June 15, 2024 | 8 PM | Canada | Central Broward Park, Lauderhill |
Four days after their opening fixture, they will face off against their archrivals Pakistan, on June 9, followed by games against the North American co-hosts USA and Canada.
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