Former India T20 vice-captain Hardik Pandya has sparked speculation about his return to Test cricket by sharing videos and images of himself practicing with the red ball. Pandya, who last played a Test match for India in September 2018 during the England tour, has faced challenges with injuries and has primarily focused on white-ball cricket in recent years.
Pandya took to his Instagram story to share a photo of himself with the red ball. Following this, the talented all-rounder posted a series of videos displaying his impressive bowling skills during training sessions.
However, following a lengthy recovery from an injury sustained during the ODI World Cup last year, Pandya has demonstrated exceptional fitness and successfully navigated through the IPL, T20 World Cup, and the Sri Lanka series without any setbacks.
In January-February of last year, Hardik dismissed any possibility of a return to red-ball cricket in the near future while leading the T20 team.
"When I will be seen in whites? Let me be fully on blues first, then I will see about the whites," Hardik had said in one of the pressers.
In the upcoming red-ball season, the focus has shifted to players like Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer participating in the Duleep Trophy, with the Ranji Trophy on the horizon. Hardik Pandya may be considering a return to domestic red-ball cricket.
India has been lacking a proficient pace-bowling all-rounder in Test matches, particularly in countries like South Africa, England, New Zealand, and Australia. While Shardul Thakur has performed well in this role on recent tours, the potential return of Hardik Pandya to red-ball cricket is promising news for the Indian team. This is especially significant as India is scheduled to tour Australia, England, and New Zealand in the next 18 months.
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