Hardik Pandya endured a poor Indian Premier League campaign in 2024 but has gotten backing from Suresh Raina. Pandya will next be seen in action for the Indian team in the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2024 tournament.
The tournament begins on June 1 and India is placed in Group A with Pakistan, Ireland, Canada, and co-hosts USA. India will begin their tournament against Ireland on June 5 and then will face Pakistan on June 9, with both matches to be played at the Nassau Cricket Ground in New York.
For Hardik Pandya, it will be a huge opportunity to impress his fans and naysayers. This will also be the first time since ICC World Cup 2023, that Hardik Pandya will play for India. Hardik had suffered an injury in that match and only returned to action just ahead of IPL 2024.
He was traded in by MI from Gujarat Titans and in a move that backfired, Pandya was named captain of the team in place of Rohit Sharma. Fans booed Pandya everywhere MI played including Mumbai and it resulted in poor performances on the field as well. Mumbai Indians ended at the bottom of the table with only four wins.
“Temporary poor form does not make Hardik Pandya bad” – Suresh Raina
In 14 matches, Pandya scored 216 runs at an average of 18.00 and a strike rate of 143.04, with the best score of 46. He also took 11 wickets at a poor average of 35.18 and an economy rate of 10.75.
Hardik did, however, secure a position in Team India’s roster for the next T20 World Cup, but there are worries about the great all-rounder’s form as the team heads into the event next month.
Former India star Suresh Raina wasn’t too concerned with Hardik’s struggles, stating that the all-rounder has turned up for India before and all will be forgotten when he “performs against Pakistan.”
“He has done really well (for India). Temporary poor form does not make someone bad. When he will perform well against Pakistan in the World Cup, everyone will praise him,” Raina said, as quoted by ANI.
Hardik has been a key member of the Indian T20I team throughout the past couple of years; he led the team in 2023 in the absence of Rohit Sharma and has been whiteball vice-captain for some time. He has been named as vice-captain of the Indian team for the T20 World Cup as well.
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