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Former cricketer Dilip Doshi feels Hardik Pandya and Bhuvneshwar Kumar are playing for India on past reputation and urged the team management to include Ravichandran Ashwin and Shardul Thakur in the playing XI for the upcoming games at the ICC T20 World Cup 2021.
Pandya flopped with the bat, scoring just 11 runs from 8 balls while Bhuvneshwar leaked 25 runs from his 3 overs in India’s 10-wicket hammering against Pakistan in their opening game in Dubai last Sunday.
Pandya is averaging just over 21 with the bat in T20Is this year while Bhuvi also hasn’t been at his best with the ball. All-rounder Pandya not being able to bowl as a precautionary measure for his back injury has also not helped India’s cause either.
Doshi therefore, is of the opinion that India should not play the duo based on their past reputation and instead, look to bring in the likes of Ashwin and Shardul in their final XI.
“It’s true that some people are playing based on their past reputation. Players like Hardik Pandya and Bhuvneshwar Kumar haven’t performed to their full potential for some time now.
“(Ravichandran) Ashwin should play every game because he’s the world’s best spinner at present. You cannot afford to drop him,” said Doshi in an interview with Sportskeeda.
“Hardik Pandya has outstanding potential and needs to focus on his ability to perform with consistency. By bowling in the 130 km speed zone, Bhuvi is unable to put pressure.
Shardul should definitely play because he has been in good touch of late and is an outstanding cricketer. Deepak Chahar, too, deserved a place in the squad.
“I also feel Jadeja’s bowling has gone down over the past few years. He is an outstanding cricketer but needs to reflect and improve his bowling to play to his full potential,” Doshi added.
India will take on New Zealand in a must-win Super 12 clash in Dubai on October 31. A defeat for either side will make it difficult for them to advance to the semifinals as both India and New Zealand lost their opening games against Pakistan by a big margin.
[“source=indiatoday”]