{"id":298194,"date":"2023-03-16T13:07:18","date_gmt":"2023-03-16T13:07:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/haftavasool.com\/haftavasool\/blog\/2023\/03\/16\/wont-play-in-wtc-final-as-it-wont-be-ethical-on-my-part-hardik-pandya-cricket-news-times-of-india\/"},"modified":"2023-03-16T13:07:18","modified_gmt":"2023-03-16T13:07:18","slug":"wont-play-in-wtc-final-as-it-wont-be-ethical-on-my-part-hardik-pandya-cricket-news-times-of-india","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/haftavasool.com\/haftavasool\/blog\/2023\/03\/16\/wont-play-in-wtc-final-as-it-wont-be-ethical-on-my-part-hardik-pandya-cricket-news-times-of-india\/","title":{"rendered":"Won\u2019t play in WTC final as it won’t be ethical on my part: Hardik Pandya | Cricket News – Times of India"},"content":{"rendered":"

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MUMBAI: If there is one thing that strikes you about Hardik Pandya these days, it is clarity of thought. On the eve of leading India for the first time in an ODI against Australia<\/a> at the Wankhede Stadium – Pandya was quizzed about whether he would consider the option of finally returning to Test cricket by turning out for India in the World Test Championship final against Australia at The Oval<\/a> in June.
Pandya\u2019s response was clear, specific and left no room for confusion. India\u2019s T20 captain, who played his last Test in 2018 at Southampton against England, doesn\u2019t want to return to Test cricket unless he \u201cgoes through the grind and earns his spot.\u201d The star allrounder feels it won\u2019t be \u201cethical\u201d for him to take up someone\u2019s place in Tests right now. The 29-year-old\u2019s presence would have added some much-needed depth and muscle both to India\u2019s bowling and batting, but it\u2019s clear that Pandya has set himself a long-term target for his Test return.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo. I am an ethically very strong person. I haven\u2019t done 10% to reach there. I am not even a part of 1%. So, me coming there and taking someone’s place will ethically not go well. If I want to play Test cricket, I\u2019ll go through the grind and earn my spot. Hence, for that reason I will not be available for the WTC final or future Test series until I don\u2019t feel that I have earned my spot,\u201d Pandya stressed.
He admitted that middle-order batsman Shreyas Iyer‘s recurring back injury was a deep concern for India a few months ahead of the ODI World Cup, and spelled out that India would need to \u201cfind solutions if he isn\u2019t around.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s no timeline (for Iyer\u2019s return). We have to hope for the best to wish him speedy recovery. I have been in that situation where back could be a problem. We’ll miss him but we have to find solutions if he isn’t around. If he is, he is of course welcome. There’s a lot of time to think about how we can go forward,\u201d Pandya said.
Meanwhile, as the stand-in-captain, he confirmed that in Rohit Sharma\u2019s absence, the explosive, but inconsistent Ishan Kishan will open the batting with Shubman Gill, who has been in sublime form of late.
Though he has captained India in 11 T20Is, winning 7 of them, leading the side in the ODIs-Pandya is likely to be doing the job on a permanent basis in the future-will be a different kettle of fish. Analysing the difference of captaining in different formats, Pandya said, \u201cODIs are just an extension of the T20 game in which you have to make a lot of changes. You have to be at it because every over, every ball changes the game. In ODIs you have more set plans. Once you start something the same plan could be going on for six overs. It is just (about) how we can control that period.\u201d<\/p>\n

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For a series which is placed so close to the IPL<\/a> – the third and final ODI is on March 22 and the IPL starts on March 31- how does the team ensure that the players are focussed on the ODIs vs Australia for now, while keeping thoughts about IPL in the background?
Pandya felt that in a team of seasoned professionals, the question of whether the players would be motivated enough to give their 100% in a series just before the IPL didn\u2019t even arise.
\u201cWe all are professionals, and this is not the first time we are playing the IPL. This is going to be my ninth or 10th IPL and almost everyone has been around for far too long and playing for the country is a different honour and pride so that does not even come into question. To be very honest, I had to think about this question because I don\u2019t think any individual has got this thought of motivating more because the IPL is around. IPL is IPL\u2026how we take it series-by-series, even the IPL will be the same,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n

How do these one after the other bilateral series-mostly scheduled in India- help India prepare for the knockout games in World Cups, where the team has been found wanting? Pandya felt that a bilateral series getting \u201cclose to the wire\u201d offers the side a good chance to prepare for the pressure of the big games in big events.
\u201cI don\u2019t think we have tried anything new. We will be trying to be a little brave which I think in the last couple of series we have done quite well. All these bilaterals are as challenging, they can get as close to the wire as they can. That is the only way we are going to learn and start playing under pressure of knockouts,\u201d he asserted.<\/div>\n