The team managed was reportedly in favour of sending Hardik Pandya back to India before mentor Mahendra Singh Dhoni vouched for the star all-rounder's finishing skills.
The 28-year-old Baroda all-rounder delivered mediocre performance in the recent Indian Premier League (IPL) edition and his inability to roll his arms in the Indian jersey landed him in troubled waters.
Earlier this week, Hardik bowled close to 20 minutes to Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Shardul Thakur in one of the Indian team's net sessions. India chief coach Ravi Shastri and Dhoni closely monitored Hardik, who last bowled in Indian colours during the Sri Lanka series in July.
"The truth is that the selectors wanted to send him back to India after he didn't bowl in the IPL, but MS Dhoni (appointed Team India mentor) vouched for his finishing skills," TOI quoted a source as saying.
"The whole mystery around his fitness has been going on for the last six months. You're now saying that he has a shoulder injury. In the bargain, you aren't giving a chance to a fit guy. You're playing an unfit guy who isn't useful to the team. It's not right. Because of him, you're neglecting other fit guys who have been performing well,” he further added.
Shardul Thakur over Hardik Pandya?
There have also been calls from pundits to replace Hardik with Shardul Thakur in India's all-important contest against New Zealand. Hardik was also inefficient in the Pakistan contest, managing to notch up just 11 runs off eight deliveries.
Former chairman of selectors Sandeep Patil also slammed the management for squeezing in Hardik for the World T20 without conducting a fitness test. He also added that "someone needs to be accountable" for Hardik's selection.
"If a player is not fit, then it comes to the selectors. If he didn’t bowl in the entire IPL, the selectors should have taken a call. They should have asked for a fitness test before including him in the team for the World Cup.
“Someone has to be accountable. There’s no comment from (India coach) Ravi Shastri. Rohit Sharma and Ajinkya Rahane said that he’s fit. How can you say he’s fit, if he became unfit during the match? I mean, this is the World Cup, not just any series or match,” Patil had told TOI.
