Hardik Pandya, the all-rounder of the Indian cricket team, was ruled out of the team India ‘A’, which is going to tour New Zealand, after struggling on Saturday with a fitness test in Mumbai.

The all-rounder Vijay Shankar has been picked as a replacement and he will play in New Zealand where there will be two 50-over warm-up games. The team will also play two four-day unofficial Tests and three List A games.

A source in the knowledge of development confirmed this while speaking to IANS. “Yes, sadly, Hardik Pandya failed the fitness test and was excluded from the squad. In his place, Vijay Shankar is on the flight to New Zealand,” the source said.

The Yo-Yo Test will not be given to India ‘A’ team anymore. Pandya missed the compulsory fitness test while making a comeback post-rehabilitation.

Pandya Wanted To Be Fit In Time

Pandya himself said that he was looking to get fit for the second half of the New Zealand tour.

Pandya said while speaking to IANS, “Before the New Zealand series I will be coming back, actually in the mid-way. I play some IPL, international games and then the World T20 that was the plan. Now in place, the biggest concern was the World T20 which touch wood.”

“For not to get into surgery I tried to do everything possible and I was also managing the back. We concluded that it wasn’t working after trying everything. I was not doing justice to myself and the team and I was not able to give my 100 percent as I noticed that was the meant. When I decided to go for the surgery only these were the reasons.”