Hardik Pandya's indifferent batting form in IPL 2024 is a big worry.
India's ace all-rounder Hardik Pandya on Thursday said his preparation ahead of any major tournament is akin to army-camp-style training, incorporating rigorous physical activities and discipline to help him perform at his peak for the country.
India's ODI captain Shubman Gill has voiced strong concerns over the recurring injury issues plaguing his bowlers, questioning their fitness commitment ahead of next year's World Cup. Following a 1-2 series loss to England, Gill highlighted that multiple key players were sidelined due to injuries, impacting team combinations and raising doubts about their ability to sustain performance through a long tournament.
Mumbai Indians, struggling in the current IPL season, will face Lucknow Super Giants, hoping for key players like Hardik Pandya and Suryakumar Yadav to perform well. Both teams are grappling with batting failures, impacting their chances of reaching the playoffs.
'Hardik with his local connect was an obvious choice as captain and premier player'
India wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel provided an update on Rishabh Pant's right shoulder injury, which led to Jurel taking over wicketkeeping duties during the second Test against Sri Lanka. Jurel also highlighted Pant's significant influence on his own game and their effective batting partnership.
Hardik, who has landed in Dubai ahead of the upcoming Asia Cup, dropped shots of his latest look and captioned them: 'New Me'.
Former chief selector MSK Prasad has expressed bewilderment over Suryakumar Yadav's exclusion from India's T20I squad, suggesting it's a rest rather than a drop. He also questioned the omission of Rajat Patidar despite his strong IPL performance and the inclusion of Shivam Dube, while praising the selection of 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.
'When Hardik was dropped from the Zimbabwe tour, coach Sanjay Bangar called, telling him to work hard and not lose focus.' 'This really motivated Hardik to do better and he emerged one of the star performers during India A's tour of Australia.'
Fan frenzy over star India all-rounder Hardik Pandya forced the organisers to shift the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy match between his team Baroda and Gujarat to a more secure Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium from a nondescript Gymkhana ground in Hyderabad on Thursday.
India suffered a major pre-match blow in the Asia Cup final against Pakistan as star all-rounder Hardik Pandya was ruled out of the title-deciding clash in Dubai due to a niggle.
India, having already secured the T20 series against Afghanistan, is likely to experiment with its playing XI in the third and final match in New Delhi. This provides an opportunity for players like Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and others on the bench to get game time before the Asian Games, while Afghanistan aims for an improved performance to boost morale.
Vijay Hazare: Baroda lose despite Hardik heroics
Hardik Pandya went public with his sizzling new romance, whisking girlfriend model Mahieka Sharma away to a sun-kissed, undisclosed beach getaway for his birthday bash.
The all-rounder is at the top of the MVP table more because of his batting than his bowling, note Srinivas Bhogle and Purnendu Maji.
India all-rounder Hardik Pandya bowled in top-flight cricket for the first time since returning from a back surgery more than a year ago, with his team under pressure against Australia during the second ODI in Sydney on Sunday.
Indian pace spearhead Ashish Nehra is pleased to see the rise of Hardik Pandya and has words of praise for the youngster.
Nayan Mongia expresses his candid views on Haridk Pandya and also sheds light on Kohli's captaincy.
'If Hardik doesn't bowl, it disturbs the balance of the side hugely'
Hardik Pandya said he had always focused more on the process rather than the end result.
Samson tried to whip Donovan Ferreira down the ground but the ball hit umpire Rohan Pandit on the shin and he required medical assistance before he was able to continue.
Pandya is undergoing rehabilitation after suffering a lower-back injury during the Asia Cup in Dubai.
India's head coach Gautam Gambhir has attributed the team's poor performance in the ongoing UK T20 tour to a transitional 'reset', a lack of game awareness, and failure to correctly read conditions, following their heaviest-ever T20I defeat.
Shubman Gill, India's Test and ODI captain, celebrated his 27th birthday, marking a remarkable journey from a young prodigy to a dependable leader and cornerstone of the Indian batting line-up, with impressive records across all formats.
Batting coach Sitanshu Kotak discusses the Indian cricket team's ongoing transition, highlighting the debut of young Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and the challenges of playing without Hardik Pandya. He emphasises the team's focus on developing new talent and improving in all departments for future World Cups.
HarHardik Pandya added another milestone to his T20I career on Sunday, becoming one of the rare all-rounders in world cricket to combine power-hitting with a century of wickets in the shortest format.
Former India cricketer and ex-chief selector MSK Prasad has questioned the consistent dropping of Sanju Samson from the T20I squad, calling it a 'big mistake' given his strong performances, while also defending head coach Gautam Gambhir against early criticism for recent series losses.
Indian football legend Sunil Chhetri visited the Mumbai Indians training session at Wankhede Stadium, interacting with players and receiving a team jersey from Hardik Pandya.
South African pace great Dale Steyn described Hardik Pandya as a superhero who "operates at another level mentally" with an unmatched aura. His comments came after the flamboyant India all-rounder's scintillating knock in the fifth T20I in Ahmedabad on Friday.
India head coach Gautam Gambhir revealed that dropping Sanju Samson from the England tour was his toughest decision, despite Samson being the Player of the Tournament in the T20 World Cup. Gambhir explained that while Samson was temporarily replaced by Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, the team prioritised returning to their established World Cup-winning combination. He also addressed the issue of player injuries and the challenge of Shubman Gill not having a full-strength team, emphasising the importance of long-term performance and providing opportunities for new talent.
Former India off-spinner Harbhajan Singh has nothing but empathy for Hardik Pandya as he navigates a challenging phase in his career and is hopeful that the all-rounder, who "hasn't been a free man in the last two months", will become one during next month's T20 World Cup.
Hardik Pandya marked his return to the Indian team from a two-month injury layoff with a match-winning half-century.
India begin their 2027 ODI World Cup preparations against Afghanistan with Rohit Sharma's fitness and Nitish Kumar Reddy's all-round abilities under scrutiny, while Shubman Gill continues to shape his leadership credentials.
Hardik Pandya is currently on road to recovery from the back injury which needed a surgery last year.
Nitish Kumar Reddy's recent work on his bowling action and run-up has paid dividends and that improvement was visible in India's ODI series opener against Afghanistan in Dharamshala on Saturday.
Tilak Varma is emerging as India's potential middle-order backup, offering left-handed batting variety and developing off-spin as selectors seek younger, flexible options ahead of the ODI World Cup.
VVS Laxman, head of the BCCI's Centre of Excellence, has defended the CoE against criticism regarding slow player recovery, stating that cricketers are not 'machines' and rehabilitation timelines can vary.
Hardik Pandya's back injury restricted his role with the ball. Thakur has certainly made a case for himself.
Hardik Pandya turned heads off the field, wearing a jaw-dropping a Richard Mille RM 27-04 watch during Asia Cup training, valued between Rs 15 crore and Rs 20 crore.
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