Indian cricket should not give Hardik Pandya the priority they have given him so far: Irfan Pathan

Irfan Pathan, Commentator & Cricket Expert with IPL official TV Broadcaster, said on Star Sports Press Room Show, Ticket to World Cup that the Indian Team should not place so much importance on Hardik Pandya. '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.

"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."

Irfan Pathan opined about the problems in having finishers and seam bowlers in the Indian team for ther T20 World Cup. “This is what I'm really scared about when it comes to World Cup. Look, my worry is with T20 World Cup, we pretty much sorted as far as the top-order batting is concerned. We pretty much sorted in the middle overs as well. If we're thinking Ravindra Jadeja is a number seven batter, you need a good finisher. His numbers are not that great as far as the strike rate is concerned at the international level. So there is a worry for me there and the fast bowling.

"Apart from Bumrah, if I look at the guys playing in IPL, played before the IPL in the last South Africa series, their numbers are not that great be that it's Arshdeep, be that it's Mohammed Siraj, you know, the guys who played last. So these two departments, it really makes me worry. And these are the departments going to be very, very crucial.”

Krishnamachari Srikkanth spoke on who be the bowling all-rounder for the World Cup team will be. “I'll tell you what Jadeja will be in the 11, I mean adding on to whatever Irfan had said about his strike rate but Axar will also be in the 15. Axar is also potential match winner you have to understand that. Axar can bat brilliantly, bowl brilliantly, field brilliantly. But the first choice will go to Jadeja at number 7 by sheer experience and the way he's played international cricket in the past and he's a big match player. Jadeja is a big match player but similarly Axar Patel has done very well so both Jadeja and Axar Patel will be there. Probably the first nod will go to Jadeja for the first match and then probably Axar Patel. Both of them are equally important for me, it’s like my right eye and left eye which one do I choose?”

Tom Moody, Commentator & Cricket Expert said that the options of a fast bowling all-rounder lies between Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube. "I don't think pace is the issue, I think it's the return that you're looking to get. Hardik Pandya from a bowling perspective has a higher ceiling than Dube has, but if you're going to take the balance of the side and the all round effect of Hardik Pandya, then you can take a slightly riskier option and take Dube and rely on his overs, but not as a fifth bowler but as a sixth bowler. And that changes the balance of your side. What Hardik Pandya does, even though you can question his fitness over a long period of time, consistency of how he plays, domestic tournaments, international stuff, at the end of the day, he is an important key to balance that side.

He gives you options and you've got to rely on him to find that form between now and the World Cup. You've also got to recognise that Hardik Pandya along with every other player are going to have all their early games against associate member teams. Therefore without showing any disrespect to them, they are slightly easier games to get embedded into the tournament. So there will be opportunities for wicket taking and there will be opportunities for run scoring, so the confidence and return to form should come as the tournament unfolds."