Until recently, Team India enjoyed the upper hand in the four white-ball matches between India and Sri Lanka. However, one element about which they will be concerned is Hardik Pandya’s batsmanship. With the bat, the all-rounder has had a poor journey, scoring 19 and 0 in two ODIs and was dismissed for 10 runs in the opening T20I against the Lankans. Gavaskar names two players who can replace Hardik.
Sunil Gavaskar Names 2 Players Who Can do All-Rounder’s Job & Replace Hardik Pandya in Team India
The 27-year-old appeared to have gone off the track, as there were no forceful strokes from the batter’s edge. Pandya failed to establish any consistency with the ball as well, taking only two wickets in the previous ODI series.
Many allegations have appeared recently claiming that the all-rounder wants to return to bowling, but it appears that Pandya has yet to find the appropriate pitches. Mostly with ICC T20 World Cup scheduled to begin in October, India will be hopeful that Pandya could reclaim his form as a finisher with the batting.
Two-three years ago, Bhuvneshwar and Dhoni had won the match for India: Gavaskar
Former Indian opener Sunil Gavaskar has a distinct view on the subject, believing that two players may be backup alternatives for India in the absence of Pandya provided they are properly developed.
“Of course, there is a backup. You recently saw Deepak Chahar; he proved that he can be an all-rounder. You did not give Bhuvneshwar Kumar that opportunity. Two-three years ago, when India played in Sri Lanka, then he along with Dhoni, had won India a match”.
“The scenario in that match was similar to the second ODI. They had lost 7-8 wickets and, Bhuvneshwar and Dhoni had won that match for India,” Gavaskar said in an Interaction.
With such a match-winning uninterrupted 69 in the 2nd ODI, Deepak Chahar has shown that he can be much more helpful with the batting. Bhuvneshwar Kumar looked cool and controlled while hitting 19 runs in the same match.
Gavaskar believes these 2- players have the potential to be all-rounders if they are managed effectively. In the conclusion, the 71-year-old said that these 2 players must be offered more prospects as all-rounders in the coming years.
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