Doesn’t look like he will: Kapil Dev shares his thoughts on Hardik Pandya playing Test cricket

Former Indian talisman all-rounder Kapil Dev reckons Hardik Pandya might not play Test cricket again. Pandya last played a Test match for India in 2018 against England at the Oval. Subsequently, Pandya suffered a horrific back injury and later admitted his body isn’t ready for the adversities of Test cricket.

Recently, Pandya was asked about his availability for the World Test Championship final against Australia and he said it won’t be fair on players who are consistently playing for the national team in the red-ball format.

Since the back injury, Pandya has only played in a limited-overs format and he has managed his bowling workload with guile.

Kapil Dev, who led India to glory in the 1983 World Cup, said Pandya should play Test cricket if he is fit.

Kapil told The Times of India: “Doesn’t look like he will.” The Indian legend added, “I saw his photograph on the billboard today.

“I don’t know whether they did any touch-ups or not, but in that, he looked like having one of the finest bodies we have in the country. Yes, he should play more cricket because he has so much ability. If he is fit, he should play Test cricket also.”

Pandya has thus far played 11 Test matches in which he has scored 532 runs and has picked up 17 wickets.

On the other hand, both Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin have done a fantastic job in Test cricket as spin-bowling all-rounders and Dev showered praise on the experienced duo.

“I don’t think it is right to compare players. Last 20-30 years, we have produced enough fast bowlers whom we can depend on. And that is more important.

“And it is not just fast-bowling all-rounders you require. You need spin-bowling all-rounders as well. And you have some decent ones in the Indian team. Jadeja is fantastic. Ashwin is doing a great job. So it isn’t that we don’t have any all-rounders at all,” Kapil opined.

India will take on Ireland in three-match T20I series, starting Friday.