Former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar left out Hardik Pandya from his squad for the T20 World Cup. Manjrekar, while speaking on Star Sports chose his best 15 for the World Cup, and left out the MI captain. Hardik hasn't looked in the best of forms this season as the MI skipper has scored only 151 runs in 8 matches for his team at an average of 21.57. In the bowling department as well, Hardik has been leaking runs with an economy rate of 10.94 and only 4 wickets.
Pandya has been criticised by the fans throughout this season for his poor performance with the bat and ball and has also been called out for his captaincy acumen as well. The Indian selection committee will meet in a couple of days to decide India's squad for the upcoming marquee tournament. IPL 2024 is also being seen as an audition for the players to book their tickets for the T20 World Cup.
Manjrekar, while speaking on Star Sports, listed his players for the T20 World Cup. He admitted that it would be extremely difficult, knowing the big pool of talent that existed in Indian cricket.
"It's extremely difficult because there are many quality players. Especially after the IPL there are too many options, but let me make an effort," Manjrekar said in the Star Sports video.
MI captain Hardik Pandya was hit for 3 sixes by MS Dhoni in the final over of the first innings on Sunday, 14 April. Playing at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, Hardik was smashed around the park by former CSK captain MS Dhoni for three sixes and a double in the final four balls of the game. Dhoni remained not out for 20 off 4 balls and lifted CSK to a 200+ total. Commentating during the innings, legendary Sunil Gavaskar was left fuming with Hardik Pandya's bowling in the final over of the match.
Speaking on Star Sports, a frustrated Gavaskar slammed Hardik for bowling ordinary balls to MS Dhoni. Gavaskar fumed and went on to say that it looked like Hardik intentionally bowled poor balls to his beloved senior from the Indian team.
"Probably the worst kind of bowling that I've seen for a long, long time. It almost looks like I've had this embrace with my hero. I've got a bowling kind of delivery that he's gonna hit for sixes. One 6 is fine. The next one again a length ball when you know that this batter is looking for a length ball to hit. The third ball again, a full toss on the leg side and he's looking for it and hits it for a 6. Absolutely ordinary bowling, ordinary captaincy," Gavaskar slammed Hardik in the mid-innings break.
Source: India Today