‘Game Time Is Extremely Important’: Gambhir Gives Message to Hardik Pandya Ahead of 2027 WorldCup
As he continues to regain full health, Pandya will not play in India's next three-match ODI series against the West Indies. As of the now, the all-rounder is unable to bowl his entire 10-overs allotment in ODI cricket. Because of his commitments in the Asian Games, Jasprit Bumrah will miss out on the series too.
XtraTime Webdesk: As the Indian squad gets ready for the 2027 World Cup in South Africa, head coach Gautam Gambhir has emphasized on the importance of match practice for the injured Hardik Pandya.
Pandya will not play in India's next three-match ODI series against the West Indies. As of the now, the all-rounder is unable to bowl his full quota of overs in this format. Jasprit Bumrah will miss out too because of his presence at the Asian Games.
As per the coach, Pandya remains an integral part of India's World Cup plans as there are very few teams who have a player who can bowl 10 overs and can act as a finisher down the order.
However, according to Gambhir, just being "100 fit%" will not work. To get back his rhythm and confidence, Pandya needs to play sufficient amount of cricket. Pandya has not played much since the Indian Premier League and if he focuses only on ODIs, he may end up playing fewer matches.
“Game time going into the World Cup is going to be extremely important. You cannot go there half-cooked,” Gambhir said. During India A's one-day series against Australia A in October, Pandya should get the chance to improve his match fitness.