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Xtra Time Web Desk: Irfan Pathan, has questioned the BCCI's prioritization of Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya in the national team setup, saying that the board should stop giving the Indian all-rounder a superstar tag!

Irfan emphasized the need for a shift in perspective, suggesting that Hardik should not be given excessive priority until he delivers consistent performances at the international level, particularly in major tournaments like the World Cup.

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Hardik was expected to shine upon his return to MI, but the IPL 2024 season has been a disappointment for him. Despite captaining the team to only three wins out of eight matches, his performance has been lackluster. Hardik's batting has been particularly dismal, managing only 151 runs from eight innings. Additionally, his bowling has been ineffective, taking just 4 wickets with an alarming economy rate of 10.94. Despite being entrusted with opening the bowling in six matches, he has failed to deliver the desired results.

"What I feel about Hardik Pandya is that Indian cricket needs to make it clear that they should not give him that much priority as they have given him so far because we still haven't won the World Cup. And if you think you are a primary all-rounder, you need to make that kind of an impact at the international level. As far as the all-rounder is concerned he hasn't made that impact at the international level, we are only thinking about the potential," said Irfan Pathan.

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Irfan highlighted the disparity between Hardik's performances in the IPL and on the international stage, urging Indian cricket to focus on fostering a team-oriented approach rather than elevating individual players. Drawing a contrast with Australia's team-centric philosophy, Pathan suggested that India should prioritize the development of a cohesive unit rather than relying heavily on individual stars. The former Indian all-rounder cautioned against giving undue preference to certain players, arguing that such an approach could hinder India's chances of success in major tournaments.

"We are getting confused between the IPL performances and the international performances. That's a big difference. First of all he needs to play throughout the full year. He cannot pick and choose. Indian cricket needs to stop doing that. Stop giving preferences to individuals, if you do that, you will not be winning major tournaments. What Australia has been doing for many years is that they are actually preferring the team game. Making everyone a superstar. Not one superstar, everybody is a superstar in the squad. If you don't do that, you will not win big tournaments," Pathan added.