Former Indian cricketer Ajay Jadeja has made a noteworthy comment about India's all-rounder Hardik Pandya, expressing his concerns about Hardik's frequent injuries. During a conversation with Sports Tak, Jadeja remarked in a sarcastic tone that Hardik Pandya is indeed a "rare talent" due to his infrequent appearances on the field.
In a discussion with Varun Badola about Indian cricket and the 2023 World Cup, Jadeja humorously addressed the idea of Hardik becoming the future captain of Team India, emphasising that his rarity lies in his infrequent presence on the field.
'You did not understand the meaning. He is a rare talent and is rarely seen on the ground. It is very rare and rightly so,” Jadeja said playfully.
Pandya has been plagued by injuries in recent years, with his most recent setback being an ankle injury sustained during a match against Bangladesh in the ICC Men’s ODI World Cup 2023. This injury has sidelined him for several months, causing him to miss the World Cup. Pandya missed the T20I series at home against Australia. He has not been named in the squad for India’s tour for South Africa as well. Also, in his absence, Suryakumar Yadav has been named captain of the T20I side.
Earlier, despite his injury woes, Pandya made a successful return to cricket with (Indian Premier League) IPL 2022, where he led the Gujarat Titans (GT) to title win in their maiden season. Following his successful stint as captain in the IPL, he assumed leadership for the Indian team in the T20 format after T20 World Cup 2022 semifinal loss to England.
Recently, the Baroda all-rounder was traded to his former IPL franchise, Mumbai Indians (MI) ahead of the IPL auction for the next season.
During the conversation, Jadeja also shared his experience of mentoring Afghanistan in the World Cup, highlighting the unique and passionate style of cricket played by the Afghan team. He appreciated the opportunity to learn from this different cricketing culture and noted that they made a significant impact in the tournament, preventing West Indies from participating in the World Cup.
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