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Steve Smith-led Australia managed to make a comeback in the 2023 Border-Gavaskar Trophy with a resounding nine-wicket victory in spin-friendly conditions at Holkar Cricket Stadium, Indore. The 76-run target did not trouble confident Australian batters as India lost the Test in the first session itself and chased the target down easily. India still leads the series 2-1 after having secured wins in the first two matches of the series.
After India's defeat, former Australia captain Ian Chappell was left surprised by all-rounder Hardik Pandya not being in the scheme of things for Test cricket. Chappell questioned why Hardik, who has not played a Test since 2018, is not part of the Border-Gavaskar series.
“I don’t understand why Hardik Pandya isn’t in the Indian team. People keep telling me he can’t bowl this much. But again, are you listening to the medical people or having a chat with the cricket people? If Pandya wants to play, he should be in the Indian side. He’s a good batsman, he bowls decently, he is a damn good fielder," Chappell told ESPNCricinfo.
"To find the right balance, Australia needed Cameron Green in there. And India needs Hardik Pandya," he added.
Green returned to Australia's playing XI for the Indore Test after missing the first two matches of the series with an injury. Though, Green didn't have a eye-catching performance, his 21 runs with the bat in the first innings was crucial for Australia.
Meanwhile, after suffering from back injuries, Hardik has stayed away from Test cricket. The all-rounder is a key player for India in white-ball cricket and was recently named Rohit Sharma's deputy for the ODI series against Australia.
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