Will Gautam Gambhir force Hardik Pandya to play Test cricket? India coach says ‘Form players should play all formats’

The Indian cricket team has shown resilience and determination, achieving glory in various formats. However, one frontier remains unconquered: the World Test Championship (WTC) trophy. India has reached the WTC final twice but has fallen short on both occasions, against New Zealand and Australia. The absence of all-rounder Hardik Pandya in these crucial matches has raised questions about his potential impact. With Gautam Gambhir stepping in as the new head coach, there is speculation about whether Pandya will be encouraged to return to Test cricket.

Gautam Gambhir philosophy

In a recent interview with Star Sports, Gautam Gambhir expressed his belief that players in good form should participate in all three formats of the game, including Tests. This raises whether this philosophy will be implemented under his leadership and how it might affect players like Hardik Pandya, who have previously been managed for workload and injury concerns.

“I am a very strong believer in one thing that if you could you should be playing in all three formats. Am never a big believer of injury management – if you get injured, you go and get recovered. When you play international cricket and you are good enough, you want to play all the three formats.They dont want to be labelled as white-ball bowler or red-ball bowler,” Gautam Gambhir told Star Sports.

“Injuries are part of sportsman’s life. When you play all three formats, you get injured and you go and get recover. Am not a big believer in identifying people like OK, we are going to keep him for Test and we’re going to manage his workload and stuff.”

“As a professional cricketer when you have a very small span to play cricket and you want to play as much as you can. And when you are in good form, go ahead and play all three formats.”

Hardik Pandya: Test Career

Hardik Pandya has played 11 Tests for India, scoring 523 runs and taking 17 wickets. His last Test appearance was in 2018 against England. Due to injuries and workload management, Pandya has been absent from the Test arena. Despite his reluctance to return to Test cricket, citing his body’s inability to handle the demands of all three formats, Gambhir’s philosophy might push for his inclusion.

Pandya has demonstrated his potential in Tests with notable performances. In 2017, he scored a fifty on debut against Sri Lanka and followed it with a century in the next game. In 2018, he scored 93 against South Africa on a challenging Cape Town pitch and took a five-wicket haul against England at Trent Bridge, helping India secure a significant victory. These performances underscore his value in the longest format.

India vs Australia and beyond

India’s upcoming five-match Test series against Australia presents another opportunity for Indians to compete for the elusive WTC title. Gambhir’s appointment as head coach and his emphasis on playing all formats might see a shift in team dynamics. Whether Hardik Pandya will be part of this new strategy remains to be seen. However, Gambhir’s aggressive approach and belief in maximising player potential could be the catalyst for India’s long-awaited Test success.

The cricketing world will keenly watch whether Hardik Pandya returns to the Test arena, potentially becoming the missing piece in India’s quest for the World Test Championship trophy.