Out-Of-Favour Hardik Pandya Considering Retirement From Test Cricket: Report

Last time Hardik Pandya played for team India was in the T20 World Cup where he was seen bowling after a long gap but still confusion persists over his fitness.

New Delhi: Out-of-favour India all-rounder Hardik Pandya is thinking of retiring from Test cricket, InsideSport reported. Hardik wants to retire from the longest format due to troubles from his long-standing back injury. The all-rounder has not been able to bowl for some time now and he is considering retirement from Test cricket in order to prolong his career.

Last time Pandya played for team India was in the T20 World Cup where he was seen bowling after a long gap but still confusion persists over his fitness. Pandya bowled in just two T20 World Cup matches and is now under scanner for not giving clarity over his fitness issues. The flamboyant player was recently dropped from India's T20 squad against New Zealand.

“He has been struggling with injuries for a while and although he hasn’t informed us officially, he is considering Test retirement. It will help him keep his focus on white-ball cricket. He was anyway not in our plans for Tests. It will be a great loss for sure but we have to prepare backup,” a top BCCI official told InsideSport.

Hardik played his last Test match on the tour of England in 2018 and since then he has been out of India's Test squad.

BCCI had asked Hardik to report to the NCA and complete his fitness programme. But, he reportedly missed it and continued to play despite a back injury. Hardik might also be benched for India's tour of South Africa. Team India is slated to play three Tests and three ODIs on the tour of South Africa, starting with the Boxing day Test from 26th December.

“He is just 28 and it is definitely going to be a big miss if he does take a final call on quitting Test cricket. He has been one of the best all-rounders India could ever produce. But we need all-rounder Hardik back in limited-overs with two World Cups in the next two years. His return to bowling will be more important,” the BCCI official told InsideSport.