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Star all-rounder Hardik Pandya's return to the India's T20 World Cup 2024 squad hinges on his bowling performance in the remaining IPL matches. As reported by Indian Express, a recent meeting at the BCCI headquarters in Mumbai involving head coach Rahul Dravid, selection committee chairman Ajit Agarkar, and captain Rohit Sharma focused heavily on finding a seam-bowling all-rounder for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2024 in the USA and West Indies.
BCCI chalks out condition on Hardik Pandya's T20 World Cup selection
The selection committee reportedly emphasised the importance of regular bowling stints for Hardik Pandya if he aspires to make a comeback. This comes amidst his underwhelming performance in the IPL, both with the bat and the ball. Fan reception hasn't been positive either, with some criticizing his captaincy change in the Mumbai Indians. The recent instance of MS Dhoni hitting three consecutive sixes off Pandya in the final over of the CSK innings further fueled concerns. Despite a strong batting line-up, India desires Pandya's all-rounder capabilities for the T20 World Cup 2024, aiming for a well-balanced team.
Hardik Pandya's bowling performances in the IPL have raised concerns about his role in the upcoming T20 World Cup squad. While he has bowled in four out of six matches since his comeback, his impact has been minimal. In the initial games against Gujarat Titans and Sunrisers Hyderabad, he opened the bowling and bowled longer spells (3 and 4 overs respectively). However, he didn't bowl at all in the next two matches and only managed one over against Royal Challengers Bangalore. On Sunday, against Chennai Super Kings, he returned with 3 overs but conceded runs at a high economy rate of 12.00. More worryingly, he's only been able to pick up 3 wickets so far.
Traditionally, Pandya's bowling strength lies in hitting the back of a length and getting bounce. He's also known for effective scrambled seam deliveries and cutters in T20s. However, the lack of swing on offer this season has hampered his effectiveness with the new ball. Additionally, his reliance on regular deliveries with the old ball, instead of his usual variations, makes him vulnerable to punishment by powerful hitters like MS Dhoni, who smashed three sixes off him in the last over.
Hardik Pandya has struggled during the middle-overs, a phase where batsmen often attack the bowling. His performance has been costly in recent matches. Specifically, he gave up 10 runs in a single over, the 15th, against Gujarat. In two overs against Hyderabad, the 9th and 14th, he conceded 11 runs in each. During a match with RCB, he leaked 13 runs in just the 10th over. Against CSK, Pandya allowed 15 runs in the 10th over but later managed to dismiss Ruturaj Gaikwad in the 16th over, during which he conceded only two runs. Notably, in his only stint bowling at the death this IPL season, he gave up 26 runs in the final over.
Notably, T20 World Cup 2024 is set to start from June 2. Meanwhile, the grand finale of T20 World Cup 2024 will take place on June 29 in Barbados. The highly anticipated match between arch-rivals India and Pakistan will unfold in New York City on June 9, adding another chapter to their storied history.
INDIA’S GROUP-STAGE SCHEDULE
| Opponents | Dates | Venues |
| India vs Ireland | June 5 | New York |
| India vs Pakistan | June 9 | New York |
| India vs USA | June 12 | New York |
| India vs Canada | June 15 | Lauderhill |
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