Report: Hardik Pandya Still Unavailable To Bowl; Included In The Test Squad For England Series As A Pure Batsman

On a day when Team India scripted one of its greatest-ever triumphs in its decorated Test history, the squad for the upcoming home Test series against England was announced by the national selection committee in Mumbai. And, while regular skipper Virat Kohli and fast bowler Ishant Sharma were included in the squad as expected, the inclusion of swashbuckling all-rounder Hardik Pandya came as a surprise to fans and pundits alike.

Hardik Pandya hasn’t played Test cricket since India’s 2018 tour of England and the major reason behind it has been the back injury that he suffered in the immediate aftermath of the 2018 summer in England. Pandya suffered a back injury during the Asia Cup in September 2018. The same injury resurfaced a year later, following which the Baroda all-rounder was sidelined for more than six months as he underwent surgery.

Hardik Pandya has refrained from bowling post his return from back surgery

Since returning to competitive cricket in IPL 2020, Pandya has played as a pure batsman. He did bowl a single over during the IPL and barring a few overs during the second ODI against Australia in Sydney- post which he further aggravated his back- he didn’t roll his arm throughout the six white-ball internationals even as Team India grappled with the lack of sixth bowling option.

So, when Hardik Pandya was included in the Test squad for the upcoming home series against England, starting February 05 in Chennai, many wondered whether the all-rounder has started bowling. As it turns out, a report in ESPNCricinfo has stated that Hardik Pandya has been included in the set-up purely as a batsman.

Pandya was in swashbuckling form as a batsman in the white-ball internationals in Australia and according to reports back then, he had even expressed his desire to stay back with the team for the Test series. However, Virat Kohli refused the same, citing the fact that he cannot be included in the Test team as a pure batsman.

Also Read: Kevin Pietersen Gives A Warning To Team India Ahead Of The England Series