Its A Case Of Once Bitten, Twice Shy For BCCI, Hardik Pandya Won’t Sport India Colours Anytime Soon

Hardik Pandya’s international career is at the crossroads. He has not turned out in a single match, in blue or whites, after the country’s dismal performance against Pakistan and New Zealand in the World Twenty20 in the UAE, after which India played against New Zealand and South Africa. Hardik is not in the ODI or Twenty20 team for the forthcoming series against the West Indies. The BCCI’s national selection committee has every reason to feel they were taken for a ride about his fitness for the World Twenty20. Chairman Chetan Sharma at a press conference had said that Hardik will bowl his quota of four overs in every Super 12 match in the UAE. Hardik did not send down a ball against Pakistan, Scotland and Namibia and bowled two overs each against New Zealand and Afghanistan, conceding 40 runs without a wicket. Recently he said he was “not supposed to bowl” when he bowled against New Zealand at the World Twenty20. Fast tracked into international cricket because of the hitting ability he demonstrated to the then India ‘A’ coach Rahul Dravid in Australia a few years ago, Hardik is unlikely to get the nod from the selectors at any time soon. He has shown the stomach for a fight in the past, but can his weak back mend itself fully? Hardik has to really bend his back to bowl at full tilt?