former Team India head coach Ravi Shastri has named all-rounder Hardik Pandya as the ‘extremely important player’ in the team. Shastri feels that if the star all-rounder is taken out of the squad, then the Indian side will lose the balance in the squad.
While speaking at a press conference by Star Sports, former Team Indian head coach Ravi Shastri said: “He (Pandya) is one of the most important cogs in the wheel as far as India is concerned. You take him out of the squad and the balance goes away. That’s how important he is. You don’t know whether to play an extra batsman or an extra bowler.”
Furthermore, Shastri also expressed how the Indian side badly missed Hardik Pandya during the T20 World Cup last year. Though, Hardik was a part of the team but he was unable to bowl during the T20 World Cup 2021 as he was recovering from a back injury.
However, he made a stunning comeback to form in the 2022 edition of the Indian Premier League and once again has managed to establish himself as the most critical player for any team. Speaking about the same, Shastri said:
“We missed him really badly last year in the (T20) World Cup when he couldn’t bowl. It makes a massive difference. There is no one close to him when it comes to the quality that he possesses at that number. I think he is an extremely important player and has to be watched very closely. With the number of matches coming up, he is the last person you want to play in all those matches.”