Australia vs India 2018: Michael Hussey Recommends India to Consider Hardik Pandya
Published - 21 Dec 2018, 03:57 PM | Updated - 22 Aug 2024, 11:57 PM
Former Australian legendary batsman Michael Hussey has suggested the Indian team to consider picking Hardik Pandya for the third Test match at Melbourne. Hussey believes the seam bowling all-rounder will provide the much-needed balance to the Indian side. Pandya was out of the Indian team due to a lower back injury which he conceived while playing in the Asia Cup.
Subsequently, Pandya made a solid comeback in the ongoing Ranji Trophy. The all-rounder scalped five wickets while playing for his domestic team, Baroda. Consequently, Pandya was called to the India squad for the final two Test matches.
Similarly, Australia can get the services of Mitchell Marsh as Peter Handscomb is not in the best of forms.
“Conditions in Perth were quite unique and in Melbourne conditions will be totally different. I thought the Indian fast bowling unit has bowled beautifully in this series. They bowled a lot of overs in Adelaide and Perth in hot conditions but had to work hard (for Australian wickets).
“He (Pandya) is a bit like Mitchell Marsh when he is in form. You get an extra bowling option that can take a little load away from the pacers particularly as the four-match series wears on. So this (bowling all-rounder) is something for both sides to look at,” Hussey told PTI.
Meanwhile, India’s captain Virat Kohli had backed four fast bowlers in the second Test match. However, the tourists went on to miss a spinner in their final XI as the match went on.
“Looking at the conditions, you cannot really say anything against it (four pacers). At the start, you just thought there was plenty in it for the pacers and there were lots of cracks. I just think it was a good toss to win and in the first innings, on day one, the pitch played at its best and enabled Australia to get a decent first innings score. Then, we saw that the score came down as the match went on”.
Hardik Pandya can provide the Indian team with an extra bowling option. However, Pandya hasn’t grabbed his chances at the International level. He had come up with a fine bowling performance in Trent Bridge where he scalped a five-wicket haul.
