Hardik Pandya is not going through a bright phase in his career. Rather, he is not scoring as many runs, nor picking any important wickets with the ball.
The Mumbai Indians coach, Mahela Jayawardene says that he does not want to push Hardik Pandya to bowl four overs, but in the Indian team, he is there as a proper all-rounder. In the recent past, Pandya's bowling has been an issue.
A Cricbuzz report claimed that Hardik Pandya's selection in the team lies in the balance. "The coaching staff feels the balance of the side gets upset with a one-dimensional Pandya," wrote the website. The report also claims that the selectors of the Indian team are of the same view as they feel Hardik Pandya was brought in as an all-rounder and he cannot justify his position in the the team just as a batsman.
Hardik Pandya's fitness has been an issue since a long time. His team cannot afford to play him both as a batsman and a bowler. "We're trying to do what's best for Hardik, going forward. Whether he can bowl or not in the IPL is something we will have to look at. At the moment, if we push too hard (to bowl), he might be an issue where he might even struggle and might not be an asset as a batsman," the Mumbai Indians coach, told Cricbuzz on Friday.
Ever since undergoing a back surgery in 2019, Hardik hasn't bowled as much. He bowled during India vs England five-match T20I series in March but did not bowl in IPL phase 1 in India and now is only being used as a batsman in the UAE leg of the tournament as well.