Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir has clarified that the veteran all-rounder Hardik Pandya needs to play more competitive cricket before returning to international cricket. Notably, Hardik has been named in the India A One-Day squad for the series against Australia A.
Speaking at the post-match press conference after India’s 3-0 T20I series win over Afghanistan in Delhi on Thursday, September 17, Gambhir asserted that Nitish Kumar Reddy also plays a pivotal role in India’s ODI World Cup 2027 plans.
“Sometimes we could even go on to play both of them in the playing 11. But again, Hardik at the moment cannot bowl 10 overs, and he hasn’t played a lot of cricket since the IPL,” Gambhir said at the post-match press conference.
“We don’t want to push him into international cricket because international cricket can be extremely tough on your body as well. So if he plays those India A series, obviously he’ll get some game time as well,” he added.
While Hardik hasn’t been included in the ODI squad for the forthcoming West Indies home series, Reddy, who has been released from the Asian Games T20I squad, has been included in the ODI squad for the WI series. Further, Gambhir clarified that Hardik needs to return to international cricket via the India A route.
“From Nitish’s point of view, it’s actually a great thing that he’s been withdrawn from the T20 format, and he’ll get game time against the West Indies as well. We know how important a seam-bowling all-rounder will probably be in a year and when we go to South Africa. And once Hardik comes back, obviously it’s going to be good,” Gambhir noted.
“And that was the clear message to him that if he can play that India A series, and then if everything goes well, he can come back and be part of the T20s and the one-day squad as well,” Gambhir concluded.
