(Source X)
Gautam Gambhir, India’s newly appointed head coach following Rahul Dravid’s tenure, has emphasized the importance of players contributing across all formats if they are fit and in form.
This directive is seen as particularly relevant to Hardik Pandya, who has been predominantly involved in white-ball cricket recently. Under Dravid, India reached three ICC tournament finals within a year, with victories in the T20 World Cup 2024 against South Africa, while narrowly missing out on the WTC and ODI World Cup titles in 2023.
Gautam Gambhir issues a warning to Hardik Pandya.
During an appearance on ‘Follow the Blues’ on Star Sports, Gautam Gambhir expressed his view that players should participate in all formats if they possess the ability. The new head coach emphasized his stance against selective injury management, advocating instead for players to engage across formats provided they are in optimal physical condition.
“I’m a very strong believer in one thing that if you’re good, you should be playing all three formats. I’ve never been a big believer of injury management. If you get injured, you go (and) get recovered. As simple as it gets,” Gambhir stated.
When you’re playing international cricket and you’re good enough, you ask any of the top players and they want to play all three formats. They don’t want to be labeled as red-ball bowlers or white-ball bowlers. Injuries are a part of a sportsman’s life. If you’re playing all three formats and you get injured, go back and get recovered but you should be playing all three formats,” he added.
“When you’re in very good form, go ahead” – Gautam Gambhir
Gambhir further pointed out that the international cricket career span is limited and urged players to maximize their playing opportunities whenever feasible.
“I’m not a big believer to identify people for different formats, managing injury and stuff. Look, as a professional cricketer, you have got a very small span when you are playing for your country and you want to play as much for your country. When you’re in very good form, go ahead and play all three formats,” Gambhir explained his thoughts.
Gautam Gambhir’s remarks appear to be aimed directly at Hardik Pandya, whose absence from Test cricket since 2018 can be attributed to recurring injuries, making his selection for longer formats uncertain. Despite possessing the skills necessary for Test cricket, Pandya’s susceptibility to injuries has hindered his participation in the format.
In recent times, selectors have predominantly viewed Pandya as a specialist for white-ball cricket, where he plays a pivotal role in India’s ODI and T20I strategies. Renowned for his ability to deliver impactful performances with both bat and ball, Pandya stands out as one of the premier all-rounders in contemporary white-ball cricket.
