WATCH: Hardik Pandya Working Hard For Comeback Ahead Of IPL 2024 And T20 World Cup 2024
Hardik Pandya.
Hardik Pandya, India’s versatile all-rounder, is actively undergoing rigorous training in preparation for the imminent Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 season. Pandya has been absent from the cricket scene since the midway point of the 2023 ODI World Cup due to an ankle injury sustained during a match against Bangladesh, compelling him to withdraw from the tournament.
Following the injury setback, Pandya has been on the sidelines, missing out on the South Africa tour and being excluded from the T20I series against Afghanistan, where Rohit Sharma has assumed captaincy for the Indian team. The expectation is that Pandya will make his comeback to competitive cricket in the upcoming Indian Premier League 2024. (Mumbai Indians Behind Ambati Rayudu’s Decision To Leave Politics)
On social media, the all-rounder shared a video showcasing his intense workout session, featuring a variety of exercises. He captioned the training video with the words, “Only one direction to go, forward.” (Suryakumar Yadav To Undergo Surgery; Read What Is Sports Hernia Injury Here)
It is anticipated that Hardik Pandya will be representing the Mumbai Indians in the forthcoming 2024 Indian Premier League season.
Watch the video here:
Former India cricketer, Aakash Chopra believes that star India batter, Rohit Sharma will lead India even if Hardik Pandya is in the playing 11 for the forthcoming T20 World Cup which is taking place in the West Indies and the United States of America.
The Indian selector committee has announced a 16-member squad for the upcoming T20I series against Afghanistan starting on Thursday. The three-match series will be played at Mohali, Bengaluru, and Indore respectively.
Last month, the five-time champions, Mumbai Indians have elected Hardik as their skipper ahead of Rohit for the IPL 2024 but Chopra opined that Rohit should only lead the Men in Blue in the upcoming mega event on his YouTube channel.
“Rohit Sharma is now the captain and I feel he will be the captain in the World Cup as well. I feel this was a landmark selection, because if Rohit remains captain, he will play the World Cup. If he plays the World Cup, then he will be the captain,” said Chopra.
The 46-year-old further highlights that he does not believe Hardik will be the captain even if he returns to the team. The former cricketer also believes Rohit Sharma has a littlle chance of making to the team but not being the captain.
“Don’t think that Hardik will become captain once he is back. I can almost give it in writing. I can’t guarantee anything but the chances are very less that Rohit Sharma will be there and won’t be the captain,” the commentator stated.
India squad for Afghanistan T20I series: Rohit Sharma (captain), Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh, Jitesh Sharma (wicket-keeper), Sanju Samson (wicket-keeper), Shivam Dube, Washington Sundar, Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Avesh Khan, Mukesh Kumar.