Hardik Pandya Should Be In India's Test Team, Feels Shane Warne

Former Australia leg-spinner, Shane Warne has voiced his opinion on the talks surrounding Hardik Pandya’s inclusion in the Indian Test team. And Warne is all in favour to see Pandya in the whites, despite the all-rounder not fit enough to bowl, and would then have to play purely as a batsman.

Hardik Pandya has created a buzz around himself and excites the fans with his entry as much as someone like Virat Kohli does, if not more. Pandya has been in thunderous form since returning to cricket in the IPL 2020.

Playing for Mumbai Indians, he averaged 35 and had a strike rate of 178- the third-best in the tournament behind Kieron Pollard and Jofra Archer. Pandya carried his super striking form to international cricket against Australia. He was India’s highest-run scorer in the ODI series – Man of the Match in the third ODI – and is Man of the series in the T20Is.

Cricket needs characters and superstars like Hardik: Shane Warne

While commentating during the third T20I, Shane Warne aired his views, comically, that Indian fans should start a petition urging the management to include Hardik Pandya in the Test squad. The right-hander has played 11 Test matches in his career where he averaged 31 with a solitary hundred in addition to 17 wickets.

When a fan asked him about it, he reiterated his stance and said that Hardik should be in the whites. The legendary leg-spinner believes that Pandya has a unique ability to energize his teammates and lift the spirit in the team. The 51-year-old reckons that superstar cricketers and jolly characters like Hardik Pandya are needed in the game.

Shane Warne Tweeted, “They should!!!!! @hardikpandya7 should be in India’s test team. He has the unique ability to energise his teammates and lift all the team around his vibe. Cricket needs characters and superstars like him! Fact.”

The Test series commences on 17th December in Adelaide with a pink-ball day-night affair. The men in blue won the T20I series by a 2-1 scoreline, and Hardik along with other white-ball specialists will return home.

While Hardik’s rich vein of form might have tempted the management to keep him for the Test series, as Virat Kohli will leave after the first Test to attend the birth of his first child, however, the all-rounder too made it clear that he wishes to be back with his newborn son and family soon.

They should !!!!! @hardikpandya7 should be in India’s test team. He has the unique ability to energise his teammates and lift all the team around his vibe. Cricket needs characters and superstars like him ! Fact ? https://t.co/GaWQMVysP1

— Shane Warne (@ShaneWarne) December 8, 2020

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