3 Indian cricketers who gave up a specific format without retiring
Rajat Patidar, Hardik Pandya and Shreyas Iyer have each stepped away from one format while remaining active in others.
Hardik Pandya
Hardik Pandya last appeared in a Test match at Southampton against England on August 30, 2018, and has not featured in the red-ball format since. Although he went on to become a central figure in India's white-ball setup, recurring back trouble kept him away from longer-format cricket.
He underwent back surgery in 2019, and the physical demands of bowling at pace across five days became a significant concern given his role in limited-overs cricket. In March 2023, with India having qualified for the World Test Championship final against Australia, Pandya addressed questions about a possible Test return.
He indicated he would not step into the side without first doing the required red-ball preparation and earning his place, rather than displacing a player who had been working in that format. However, Pandya has never officially announced his retirement from Tests.
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