SL vs IND 2021: "Hardik Pandya is perfectly capable of playing in the Indian team as a pure batter"- Sanjay Manjrekar

Sanjay Manjrekar feels Hardik Pandya is competent enough to feature as a pure batsman for India in the limited-overs series against Sri Lanka. Pandya has bowled inconsistently over the last couple of years in international cricket due to a lower back injury.

However, Manjrekar feels that it shouldn't jeopardize his place in the Indian team as he can get into the team solely on his batting skills. In a virtual interaction, the former India international highlighted how the 27-year-old had proven his mettle as a batsman in the limited-overs series against Australia last year.

"Hardik proved in Australia that he is perfectly capable of playing in the team as a pure batter, there is no doubt now that he can do that. I am also reading reports that he has started bowling as well. He has shown that he has the ability to walk into the team as a pure batter in white-ball cricket."

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— BCCI (@BCCI) July 7, 2021

Indian batsman Suryakumar Yadav recently revealed in a press conference that Pandya has been bowling in practice games and in the nets. This is why fans can expect him to roll his arm over during the limited-overs series against Sri Lanka if needed.

The Indian T20 World Cup squad is almost finalised: Sanjay Manjrekar

🚨 NEWS 🚨: BCCI to host ICC T20 World Cup in UAE & OmanMore Details 👇

— BCCI (@BCCI) June 29, 2021

With India still in search of a major ICC trophy since 2013, the upcoming T20 World Cup is a huge tournament where the Men in Blue can look to change their fortunes in major events.

Sanjay Manjrekar believes Team India must have already zeroed in on the players and the roles they will play at the T20 World Cup. He added that India will field their strongest T20I team at the upcoming mega event.

"The T20 World Cup squad is almost finalised. India’s T20 cricket is in a very healthy space, so it is not like the 2019 World Cup, where till the end we didn’t find our number four. This T20 team that India will put up, it will be one of the strongest India has ever put up in a T20 format so I think most of the players are already penciled in."

The India-Sri Lanka limited-overs series, which comprises of 3 ODIs and 3 T20Is, will provide a brilliant platform for fringe players to showcase their talent. The series, however, could be rescheduled. It could start on July 17 instead of the scheduled July 13 due to members of the Sri Lankan staff testing positive for COVID-19.