Ravi Shastri’s Advice to Hardik Pandya: Stay Fit and Keep Playing
In Mumbai, former Indian head coach Ravi Shastri has given some important advice to star all-rounder Hardik Pandya. After missing out on the T20I captaincy, Shastri encouraged Hardik to play as much as possible and stay fit, drawing inspiration from his recent success in the ICC T20 World Cup.
Hardik’s Journey and Challenges
Hardik Pandya was a key player in India’s ICC Men’s T20 World Cup win, acting as deputy to Rohit Sharma. Despite being a strong candidate for captaincy, ongoing fitness issues led to Suryakumar Yadav being named captain and Shubman Gill as vice-captain for the Sri Lanka tour.
Chief selector Ajit Agarkar explained that they needed a player with consistent availability, which affected Hardik’s chances. Shastri, speaking on The ICC Review, emphasized the importance of match fitness and advised Hardik to play as much T20I cricket as possible to stay in top form.
Hardik’s Injury Struggles
Hardik has faced several injuries since 2018, including a major back injury during the Asia Cup against Pakistan. He underwent surgery and extensive rehabilitation but continued to face issues. More recently, he injured his ankle during the Cricket World Cup 2023 against Bangladesh, sidelining him for a while.
Recent Performances
Despite these challenges, Hardik made a strong comeback in the T20 World Cup, scoring 144 runs and taking 11 wickets. His performance in the final, where he took crucial wickets, helped India end an 11-year trophy drought. He also played a key role in India’s series-clinching victory over Sri Lanka.
Shastri’s Encouragement
Shastri believes that Hardik’s recent performances should motivate him to maintain his fitness. He stated that Hardik understands his body best and should use his World Cup success as inspiration to stay fit and continue performing at a high level.
Doubts Revealed
Ravi Shastri -: Ravi Shastri is a former Indian cricketer and coach. He has been a significant figure in Indian cricket, both as a player and as a coach.
Hardik Pandya -: Hardik Pandya is an Indian cricketer known for his all-round abilities, meaning he can both bat and bowl well. He plays for the Indian national team.
T20I -: T20I stands for Twenty20 International, a format of cricket where each team plays 20 overs. It’s a shorter and faster version of the game.
ICC T20 World Cup -: The ICC T20 World Cup is an international championship of Twenty20 cricket. Teams from different countries compete to win the title.
Sri Lanka -: Sri Lanka is a country in South Asia, and it has its own national cricket team that competes internationally.