‘Clear message’ for Hardik Pandya: Gautam Gambhir reveals what all-rounder must do to return to Team India

File Pic: Gautam Gambhir and Hardik Pandya. (AP photo) NEW DELHI: India head coach Gautam Gambhir has made it clear that Hardik Pandya will have to work his way back into international cricket as the game progresses, with the all-rounder currently not part of the Indian squads after not playing enough cricket since the IPL.After India’s win over Afghanistan in the third T20I in New Delhi on Thursday, Gambhir said Pandya’s immediate priority should be to get back on the field, including through the India A series, before pushing for a senior comeback.“Hardik can’t play 10 overs at the moment and he hasn’t played much cricket since the IPL, so we don’t want to push him into international cricket because international cricket can also be extremely hard on your body,” Gambhir said during the post-match press conference.India’s head coach also revealed that the message to Pandya was straightforward: play, regain match fitness and then push for a place in both the white-ball teams.“And that was a clear message to him that if he can play that India A series and if everything goes well, he can come back and be a part of the T20s and also the one-day team,” Gambhir said.

India could play Hardik and Nitish together

Gambhir’s comments also highlighted India’s plans to develop more than one all-round bowling machine. Originally included in India’s 15-man Asian Games squad, Nitish Kumar Reddy has been withdrawn from the continental event and will instead feature in the ODI series against the West Indies.Gambhir believes the move will give Reddy valuable game time and accelerate his development with the ball ahead of India’s future assignments.“It’s actually a great thing from Nitish’s point of view that he has been withdrawn from the T20 format and will get game time against West Indies as well,” he said. “We know how important the seam all-rounder is probably going to be in the bowling a year from now and when we go to South Africa. And once Hardik comes back, obviously it will be good.”The coach even suggested that India could eventually accommodate both Pandya and Reddy in the same playing eleven.“Sometimes we might continue to play both of them in the 11,” Gambhir said, while stressing that Pandya’s current bowling load remains a factor.“Hardik cannot bowl 10 overs at the moment,” he added.

Reddy’s bowling development excites Gambhir

Gambhir has been encouraged by Reddy’s progress as a bowling all-rounder and believes having more players who can contribute with both bat and ball will give India more flexibility.“I think it’s good that we got Nitish now from the Asian Games so now he can and you could see that the more he bowls the better he gets and we have if you can develop some all-rounders to bowl it will always come in handy,” Gambhir said.Reddy will now get an opportunity to feature in the ODI series against the West Indies rather than the Asian Games, giving him further match exposure.

Abhishek’s hundred powers India 3-0

The discussion with Hardik came after India completed a commanding 3-0 T20I series sweep over Afghanistan. Abhishek Sharma smashed a record 108 off just 34 balls as India posted 221/7 in the third match in New Delhi.Ravi Bishnoi and Reddy then claimed three wickets as Afghanistan were bowled out for 94, their lowest total against India in T20Is and their heaviest defeat in the format.Gambhir, however, said the focus inside the dressing room remained on impact rather than individual milestones.“I can sit here and keep talking about his 100 but it’s just impact. The only thing we talk about in that dressing room is how much impact we make with the bat and how much impact we can make with the ball,” Gambhir said.India’s 100 runs in the power bowl was another big positive for Gambhir.“T20 cricket is not about runs or wickets; it’s about how much of an impact you can create,” he said. “The biggest positive was that we got 100 on the power play, something we’ve never done in my time as coach.