IND vs NZ LIVE – No practice for team India: As the Indian team fans were waiting with baited breath to know the status of Hardik Pandya’s fitness, Indian team decided to cancel their training session on Friday. Hardik’s bowling fitness was suppose to be assessed one more time on Friday – but Virat Kohli led team decided to skip their training session because of a bizzare reason – Follow IND vs NZ & T20 World Cup LIVE Updates on InsideSport.in
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IND vs NZ LIVE: Indian team allotted practice ground in Abu-Dhabi on Friday, Kohli’s team cancels crucial practice session: Follow LIVE updates
Why Indian team had to cancel training session on Friday? Indian cricket team has been training at ICC Academy in Dubai since the start of World Cup. On Friday, the ground allotted to Indian team was changed just few hours before the scheduled session.
Instead of Dubai, team was asked to train in Abu-Dhabi which is 2 hours drive from Dubai resutling in team cancelling their training session on Friday.
According to one of the ICC official, ‘It is the responsibility of the host BCCI & Emirates Cricket Board to look after operational issues’
InsideSport tried reaching out to team India’s manager & BCCI officials on the development but could not get any response.
- It is worth noting, Indian team is staying in Th8 Palm in Dubai.
- Hotel is almost 2 hour drive from Abu Dhabi
- Team India would have wasted almost 4 hours just on travelling & that resulted Indian team in cancelling their training session
- Some of the Indian team members indulged in game of Beach Volleyball, while few decided to stay indoors.
Ind vs NZ LIVE: Is Pandya fit to play against New Zealand, how his fitness will be assessed?
Now the question comes what about Hardik Pandya’s status? Hardik Pandya will have to prove his fitness before he gets included in XI for make or break match vs New Zealand. The test was suppose to be conducted on Friday – which could not happen because of practice-facility fiasco.
Team management will now assess his fitness on Saturday.
He will be asked to bowl 3-4 over spell in the practice session. After this fitness test decision on Hardik’s inclusion in the playing XI will be taken.
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— BCCI (@BCCI) October 29, 2021
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India vs New Zealand LIVE – Former Cricketeres & Selectors unhappy the way Hardik’s situation has been handled: Questions are being raised now, why Pandya is in squad if he is not fully fit. BCCI chief selector Chetan Sharma has been criticised for choosing him as an allrounder in the Indian team despite Hardik Pandya remaining one-dimensional throughout the IPL 2021. Adding to it, Pandya could manage just 127 runs at an average of 14.11 with the bat.
Former India selector Sandip Patil:
“His selection in the XI is up to the captain and the coach, and only the BCCI will know about it. But basically, if a player is not fit, then it comes to the selectors. If he didn’t bowl in the entire IPL, the selectors should have taken a call. They should have asked for a fitness test before including him in the team for the World Cup,” Patil told The Times of India.
“As per ICC rules, he could have been replaced if he was unfit. My question regarding Hardik is not only to the captain and the coach, but to the selectors,” he added.
“The truth is that the selectors wanted to send him back to India after he didn’t bowl in the IPL, but MS Dhoni (appointed Team India mentor) vouched for his finishing skills,” a source told the daily.
Meanwhile, Mumbai chief selector Salil Ankola also shed light on his views.
“If Hardik Pandya is not bowling, there’s no way he fits into the side. I’m not saying this because I’m from Mumbai, but anyone who knows even a little bit of cricket will pick Shardul over Hardik Pandya right now. How much does Shardul have to prove himself now” The Times of India quoted Ankola as saying.
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