India’s newly-appointed vice-captain KL Rahul is sure of Hardik Pandya making a comeback after his omission from T20I side for home series against New Zealand. Rahul believes that Hardik is “smart enough” to know what is expected of him and will return to the squad after an inconsistent run in recently-concluded T20 World Cup 2021.
“Quite honestly, I mean I do not know if that has happened. He knows exactly what he needs to do and what is expected out of him. He is smart enough to understand that,” Rahul said in media interaction before the New Zealand series begins with first T20I in Jaipur.
Pandya scored just 69 runs from three innings and remained wicketless in the tournament. For New Zealand series, Venkatesh Iyer has been included in the squad and it is possible that he will be groomed as the next batting all-rounder in the team.
The Karnataka batter also talked about newly-appointed head coach Rahul Dravid and his experience with him.
"Look, I have been fortunate to know him for a very long time. As a youngster, I did try to pick his brain. He was very helpful to all of us back home in Karnataka. He has helped boys across the country, having him here with us as a part of that setup will give us an opportunity to learn," the 29-year-old recalled his early playing days.
The Punjab Kings (PBKS) skipper has also had an experience playing under the former National Cricket Academy (NCA) for India A. He also termed him as a “team man”.
"We all know how big a name Rahul Dravid is, we have a great opportunity to learn from him and get better as cricketers. When it comes to coaching, I have played a couple of games with India A setup, he is somebody who has a great understanding of the game and creates an atmosphere where everybody is comfortable. He has always been a team man," he added.
