T20 World Cup 2021: I think it was a big mistake playing Hardik Pandya – Brad Hogg

Former Australian spinner Brad Hogg believes it was a big mistake to play Hardik Pandya in the team’s opening match of the T20 World Cup against Pakistan.

Pandya wasn’t fit to bowl and played only as a batter as Pakistan defeated India for the first time in a World Cup match by 10 wickets. However, Pandya isn’t in the best of forms with the bat either but still, Virat Kohli had backed him in the pre-match conference.

Pandya could not provide the finishing touches as he scored only 11 runs off just eight balls. Furthermore, the right-hander hurt his shoulder while trying to play a pull shot and didn’t even take the field. Pandya was also taken for precautionary scans according to the reports.

Pandya could only score 127 runs in 11 innings while playing for Mumbai Indians in IPL 2021 and thus the right-hander has been horribly out of form.

Hogg feels either Ravichandran Ashwin or Shardul Thakur could have been included in the final XI as they would have added more value with both bat as well as the ball.

While speaking on his YouTube channel, Hogg said: “I think it was a big mistake playing Hardik Pandya. The only other way I would have gone is Thakur in place of probably Shami and Ashwin for Pandya. In that case, you can have Jadeja batting in at 6, Thakur at 7 and Ashwin at 8. Pandya has got to be bowling if he wants to be in the playing XI. He has got a lot of talent, but he is just not a frontline batter.”

Meanwhile, Rishabh Pant was looking good as he had scored 39 runs and had also hit two sixes to provide momentum to the Indian team in the middle overs. However, Shadab Khan was able to get the better of Pant and Hogg noted that it was the turning point of the game.

“I reckon it (the turning point) was the matchup between Pant and the spinners in the middle overs. Shadab Khan came on and was nervous bowling to Pant. Bowled on the leg side initially then someone came and had a chat with him. He then bowled the wrong’un, Pant took him on and got the top edge,” Hogg concluded.

It will be interesting to note if Virat Kohli and the think tank will continue to back Hardik Pandya despite his poor run of form and bowling fitness woes. India will take on New Zealand on Sunday.