New position: Hardik is all set to lead India in an ODI for the first time.
| Photo Credit: Emmanual Yogini
Hardik Pandya’s love-affair with Wankhede Stadium — the venue the place he first got here to the fore in a Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy sport earlier than it grew to become his alma mater in the IPL — will proceed on Friday, with the ace all-rounder set to lead India in an ODI for the first time.
But Hardik has dominated out the slightest of risk of donning India’s whites in the World Test Championship (WTC) remaining towards Australia in June.
“I am ethically a very strong person. I haven’t done 10% to reach there. I am not even a part of 1%, so me coming there and taking someone’s place will ethically not go well,” mentioned Hardik, who final performed a Test in August 2018.
“If I want to play Test cricket, I’ll go through the grind and earn my spot. Hence, for that reason I will not be available for the WTC final or future Test series until I don’t feel that I have earned my spot.”
The three-ODI sequence will probably be the first of the two main litmus checks for India in its quest to regain the World Cup title at residence.
Sandwiched between the Asia Cup in September and the World Cup in October will probably be India’s repeat three-match sequence towards Australia at residence.
While that sequence will probably be the costume rehearsal, the begin of the World Cup preparation has been marred by accidents — Shreyas Iyer, Jasprit Bumrah’s again points together with Rishabh Pant’s accident.
“No timeline, we have to hope for the best to wish him speedy recovery. I have been in that situation where back could be a problem… we will miss him but we have to find solutions if he isn’t around. There is a lot of time to think about how we can go forward,” Hardik mentioned about Shreyas’ health.
Hardik additionally confused that India has learnt to address Bumrah’s absence throughout the final six months. Having Jassi makes an enormous distinction, however to be very sincere, we aren’t a lot bothered as a result of the guys who’ve taken his position, I am fairly assured they’ll be doing very nicely.”
