Ravi Shastri says India wants an all-rounder at No. 6, guidelines out Pandya as pure batter

Former India coach Ravi Shastri feels the crew wants a first-choice all-rounder at quantity six, ruling out Hardik Pandya’s inclusion as a pure batter within the T20 World Cup in Australia.

Hardik has not been in a position to go full throttle with the ball since getting back from surgical procedure to deal with an injured again.

With the upcoming T20 World Cup offering India a chance to make amends for his or her league-stage exit within the final version of the showpiece within the UAE, the crew administration might be keenly wanting on the IPL for gamers who can match into the quantity six slot as an all-rounder and lend extra steadiness to the XI.

“I think the all-rounder’s position at No. 6 for sure,” Shastri informed ESPNcricinfo on Wednesday.

“Ideally somebody within the top-five who can bowl two or three overs. That takes the stress off the captain. It offers him then six and a half bowlers from whom he can select.

“That will be one area I’ll be looking at very closely. And of course the fast bowling and fielding. I’m not really worried about the batting. Batting is there.”

Hardik Pandya was doing high quality till he suffered a stress fracture of the again, and he hasn’t been the identical participant ever since.

Nevertheless, he has been made captain of an IPL crew for the primary time by Gujarat Titans.

However, Shastri nonetheless thinks Hardik will now wrestle to interrupt into the Indian T20 aspect as a pure batter as a result of it’s already filled with power-hitters.

“In the highest 5, there’s a variety of muscle there. If anybody’s occupying the place Nos. 5, 6 onwards, he’ll need to carry that additional division to the sport.

“That is why from Hardik’s point of view, from India’s point of view, from the Gujarat team’s point of view, it’s extremely important that he strings those two or three overs together because if he does and bowls with even limited success, he becomes an automatic choice in the Indian team.”