Former Indian head coach Ravi Shastri has advised star all-rounder Hardik Pandya to prioritize fitness and play as much cricket as possible to regain his peak performance. Shastri’s comments come after Pandya was overlooked for the T20I captaincy in favor of Suryakumar Yadav.
Pandya’s fitness issues have been a recurring concern, dating back to a stress fracture in 2018. Despite recovering from surgery, his back problems resurfaced, necessitating another surgery. More recently, he sustained an ankle injury during the Cricket World Cup 2023.
Shastri believes that Pandya’s recent performances in the T20 World Cup, where he played a crucial role in India’s victory, should inspire him to regain his fitness. He emphasized the importance of match fitness, especially for all-rounders who need to bowl consistently.
“If you can bowl consistently eight to 10 overs every game and then bat the way he does, I think he’ll play in one-day cricket as well,” Shastri said.
Shastri also acknowledged Pandya’s understanding of his body and expressed confidence that he would be motivated to get back to full fitness. He urged Pandya to play as much T20I cricket as possible to maintain his match sharpness.
“I think it is up to him really, more than anything else,” Shastri added. “He understands his body better than anyone. And I am sure, this will inspire him, especially with the way he did in the World Cup, the way he performed at the right times for India and the World Cup, so that should really get him going.”
Pandya’s fitness will be crucial for India’s upcoming ODI series against Sri Lanka and the World Cup later this year. If he can overcome his injury concerns and regain his peak form, he will be a valuable asset to the team.
