Hardik Pandya out of ‘full-strength’ India Test squad

The Indian test team will be at full strength when they travel for the World Cup Championship final against New Zealand- followed by the five-Test series in England — next month.

The selector, on Friday, picked a squad of 20 players and four standbys for the three-month tour. But, all-rounder Hardik Pandya missed the bus due to his inability to consistently bowl.

Ravindra Jadeja, Hanuma Vihari, and Umesh Yadav are all back in the squad. Avesh Khan, Prasidh Krishna, and Gujarat left-arm seamer Arzan Nagwaswalla have been picked as standbys.

KL Rahul and Wriddhiman Saha have been picked subject to fitness clearance.

Read This | Test Cricket: Mahmudullah returns to bowling in pursuit of Test comeback

“It doesn’t seem he is being able to sustain the load of bowling. He recovered from a back surgery, changed his action but now it’s his shoulder that is bothering him, a source to the Indian team management told TOI.

“Even Pandya realizes that he is vulnerable if he pushes himself with the ball. He is now focusing a lot more on his batting. The team management understands that with the T20 World Cup coming later in the year, it’s better to give him more time off so that he could be in the best shape for the marquee event. He will be used sparingly depending on the match situation” the source said.

Source