'Let Me Be Fully On Blues First' - Hardik Pandya's Straight Reply On His Return To Red Ball Cricket

The star all-rounder made his Test debut back in 2017 and he played in a total of 11 matches and scored 532 runs so far.

Under the leadership of Hardik Pandya, the Men in Blue won the first T20I against Sri Lanka by 2 runs on Tuesday. Since Rohit Sharma has been rested, Pandya has been appointed as the skipper of the Indian team. Hardik was asked about his comeback to Test cricket as the last time Hardik played red-ball cricket was back in 2018. "When I will be seen in whites? Let me be fully on blues first, then I will see about the whites”, Pandya said.

The star all-rounder made his Test debut back in 2017 and he played in a total of 11 matches and scored 532 runs so far. He has amassed a century and four half-centuries in the longest format of the game.

"I know the language of hard work. I don't think I know any other language in my life. I've been thrown to the deep end and the only thing that has got me back is my hard work. Keep working hard and make sure I look after my body, which I do," said Hardik.

"Injuries are a part of the game and I can't change that. I am very confident of what I've done and believe in the process that has brought me here. Going forward, I just want to give my body ample chances to be out there and play my best", he added.

Earlier, a deadly bowling show put up by debutant Shivam Mavi (4/22) and a late blitz by Deepak Hooda (41 runs of just 23 balls) and Axar Patel (20-ball 31) helped team India outplay Sri Lanka by 2 runs in the first T20I of the three-match series at the Wankhede Stadium, in Mumbai on Tuesday. By the virtue of this win, India now have 1-0 lead over the Lankan Lions.

Squads:

India's T20I squad against Sri Lanka: Hardik Pandya (C), Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shubman Gill, Deepak Hooda, Rahul Tripathi, Sanju Samson, Washington Sundar, Yuzi Chahal, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Harshal Patel, Umran Malik, Shivam Mavi, Mukesh Kumar.

Sri Lanka's squad for the India tour: Dasun Shanaka (C), Pathum Nissanka, Avishka Fernando, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Kusal Mendis (v-c for ODIs), Bhanuka Rajapaksa (only for T20Is), Charith Asalanka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Wanindu Hasaranga (v-c for T20Is), Ashen Bandara, Maheesh Theekshana, Jeffrey Vandersay (only for ODIs), Chamika Karunaratne, Dilshan Madushanka, Kasun Rajitha, Nuwanidu Fernando (only for ODIs), Dunith Wellalage, Pramod Madushan, Lahiru Kumara and Nuwan Thushara (only for T20I).