Hardik Pandya’s possible inclusion in India’s 2024 T20 World Cup squad has recently sparked debate among cricket experts and fans. The 30-year-old has been in the spotlight during the first three weeks of the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. The controversial decision has sparked widespread disappointment among fans since Pandya was announced as the new captain of Mumbai Indians, replacing India all-rounder Rohit Sharma for the 2024 IPL season .
MI’s newly-appointed captain was met with vociferous boos at various stadiums, including the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad and the home ground of Mumbai, Wankhede stadium.
Furthermore, MI started the IPL 2024 season with three consecutive losses under Hardik’s leadership, although the five-time IPL champions bounced back with back-to-back wins in the next two games.
Physical fitness and finishing ability issues
Apart from Hardik’s captaincy, his all-round form and finishing ability are also attracting attention in the ongoing IPL.
Hardik, the limited overs vice-captain of the Indian cricket team, has scored 129 runs in five games for MI this season.
The slugger smashed an unbeaten 21 runs off just 6 balls against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) on Thursday, helping MI chase 197 in just 15.3 overs points, which allowed him to see the dawn of recovery.
There are also doubts over Hardik’s suitability for the ICC’s major T20 tournaments.
The Indian all-rounder has endured health issues over the years and has reduced his workload with the ball in order to get the best out of him from an all-round perspective.
The Gujarat-born cricketer bowled just eight overs in five matches in IPL 2024, picking just one wicket with an economy coefficient of 11.13.
Hardik suffered an ankle injury against Bangladesh in October and was ruled out of the 2023 ICC ODI World Cup and recently made his comeback in the 2024 IPL.
Of course, Rohit Sharma-led India will need a fully fit Hardik for the 2024 T20 World Cup in West Indies and the United States.
In-form Shivam Dube can beat Hardik Pandya
While Hardik’s all-round ability provides good balance to the Indian team in the T20 format, if he does not fully recover, then the likes of Shivam Dube and Rinku Singh may emerge as better finishers in India’s 2024 T20 World Cup squad .
Former India fast bowler Venkatesh Prasad has expressed support for Shivam Dube’s inclusion in the squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup.
“Shivam Dube for his amazing ability against spinners, Surya for his brilliant T20 international batsman and Rinku Singh for his brilliant finishing ability. If India can find a way to get these 3 into the top 11 of the T20 WC, That would be great.” “This will leave a spot for Rohit as a wicketkeeper-batsman. It will be interesting to see how it turns out,” Prasad posted on
Shivam Dube of Chennai Super Kings had a stellar performance in IPL 2024. Batting in the middle order, Dube scored 176 runs in five games at an average of 44 and a strike rate of 160. He has hit 10 fours and 13 sixes so far.
Apart from Prasad, former India all-rounder Yuvraj Singh also said that Dube must be included in India’s T20 World Cup squad.
“So happy to see @IamShivamDube clearing the field with ease!! I feel he must be in the World Cup squad. He has what it takes to be a #gamechanger,” Yuvraj wrote on X.
Earlier, India’s deputy Ravichandran Ashwin urged India to include Dube in the T20 World Cup squad after his impressive performance in the three-match series against Afghanistan in January.
“Hardik Pandya is an integral part of the Indian team. However, with the emergence of Shivam Dube, especially in CSK-like conditions in West Indies , he became a spin batting monster,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.
“I’m proud to call him the ‘Yuvraj Singh lite’ combo. I see a lot of aspects of Yuvraj Singh in his game – downswing, height and reach. I’m not saying he’s exactly like Yuvraj Singh, but he Reminds me of him and the beauty here is that his spin shot lands right on the ground,” Ashwin added.
As Hardik faces stiff competition from Shivam Dube, he will need to prove his fitness and impress the selectors with his all-round performance in the remaining matches for MI before the squad is finalized.
The Indian cricket team’s 15-man squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup is likely to be announced in the last week of April, with vice-captain Hardik’s position still uncertain.
While returning to form and maintaining fitness is likely to see Hardik qualify for the T20 World Cup, looking at the all-rounder’s recent form while batting in the death overs and his fitness issues, it’s safe to say that the 30-year-old has been selected The team certainly doesn’t take it for granted.
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