Parthiv reveals reason behind Hardik bowling with red ball amid Test return rumours

Parthiv Patel opened up about Hardik Pandya bowling with a red ball and revealed that he opted for the red cherry as the white ball wasn't available for practice.

In Short

• Parthiv Patel opened up about Hardik Pandya's Test return
• There were speculations when he was spotted bowling with red ball
• Hardik's last Test appearance for India was last in 2018

Former India cricketer Parthiv Patel opened up about the reason behind star all-rounder Hardik Pandya bowling with a red-ball recently, sparking speculation over his Test return. Parthiv revealed the reason behind the same and said that Hardik bowled with a red ball just because a white ball wasn't available. He also opined that he didn't see Hardik in the longest format of the game due to him being injury prone. Hardik stirred speculation about a possible return to Test cricket after posting a video of himself bowling with a red ball during a training session in England. The 30-year-old cricketer shared the footage on Instagram, which quickly captured the attention of fans and analysts alike.

"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 told Jio Cinema during the Day 2 of 2nd Test between India and Bangladesh in Kanpur.

Hardik Pandya in Test cricket for India?

Hardik, known for his explosive performances in limited-overs cricket, has not featured in Test matches since September 2018. The star all-rounder underwent lower back surgery in 2019, which sidelined him from red-ball cricket. Despite having played only 11 Test matches in his career, Pandya has shown flashes of brilliance that suggest he could fill the vital role of a pace-bowling all-rounder. Hardik played 11 Tests for India, accumulating 523 runs and taking 17 wickets.

Should Yash Dayal have been given chance?

Parthiv also pointed out India's missed opportunity to utilise Yash Dayal, who earned his maiden India call-up for the series. He felt that the 2nd Test gave a space for India to experiment and give chances to the youngster.

"The second Test was an opportunity for India to use Yash Dayal. And no, I'm not undermining Bangladesh, but if this Test match ends in a draw, it is very important to address that the next series will be against New Zealand, and then they won't be in a position to experiment," he added.

India stuck with the same playing XI which won the 1st Test match against Bangladesh in Chennai.