A BCCI official has confirmed that teh flamboyant Indian all-rounder, Hardik Pandya is “not in a position to bowl” in the longest format of the game as yet, and hence has been left out of the squad to tour England. Team India will be leaving for the UK to play the ICC World Test Championship final against New Zealand. The final will be followed by a 5-match Test series against the Three Lions.

The official pointed out that while Hardik was part of the squad during the home Test series against England, prior to the IPL 2021, he wasn’t able to gain the fitness required for bowling at the Test level. He didn’t bowl a single delivery for the Mumbai Indians in IPL 2021 as he suffered a shoulder niggle. Now, Pandya will find it difficult to make a comeback into the Test squad, considering the Men in Blue have 3 ICC World Cup in the 3 consecutive years.

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As per the quotes in PTI, a BCCI source said, “Hardik Pandya is still not in a position to bowl. The experiment of selectors to keep him during England Tests and prepare him with bowling workload has failed miserably. He will henceforth not be considered for Test cricket.”

Former chief selector MSK Prasad opines that Hardik should not be coming back to the Test squad if he is no fit enough to bowl 12-15 overs in a day. Hardik last played Test cricket for India in 2018, on the tour of England where he picked a 5-wicket haul in Nottingham. 

Describing the same during a chat with Sportskeeda, MSK Prasad said, “I have a feeling that they actually asked him not to bowl so that he can play the Test series against England. Maybe they’re preserving him for the WTC final and England Test series. No way he can find a place as a pure batsman when you have Vihari and the other middle-order guys in the squad.”

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He further added, “If at all he’s fit to bowl, only then he should be picked. If he can’t bowl, he shouldn’t be picked – as simple as that. He should be in the squad only if he’s bowling, he will add balance to the side as an all-rounder. He will be a big asset to the side if he bowls those 12-15 overs in a day.”