NEW DELHI: A few days back, swashbuckling India all-rounder Hardik Pandya posted a video of himself on Instagram, practicing with a red ball.
Injury-prone Hardik, who hasn’t played Test cricket since September 2018 and had a back surgery in 2019, caused quite a lot of interest with the video as it led to rumours and speculations regarding his comeback in the traditional format.
But on Saturday, former India keeper-batter Parthiv Patel cleared the air on rumours surrounding Hardik’s Test comeback.
Parthiv said he doesn’t see the 30-year-old playing Tests for India as his body couldn’t take the toll.
“I’m not looking at Hardik Pandya (in Tests). He was practising with the red ball only because the white ball wasn’t available. I don’t think his body allows four-day and five-day matches. He has to play at least one first-class game (before being considered for selection in Tests), which is very unlikely,” Parthiv said on Jio cinema show on Day 2 of the second India vs Bangladesh Test in Kanpur.
Last year, Hardik was requested to play the World Test Championship final against Australia but the all-rounder turned the offer down saying he did not want a place as a regular Test player.
Hardik last played a first-class game in December 2018 and also skipped this year’s Duleep Trophy due to workload management.