'He must play Test cricket': Sourav Ganguly tells BCCI & India to take important decision

With the Asia Cup 2023 underway, Team India is set to roll out the dress rehearsal for the forthcoming ICC ODI World Cup 2023. The objective of selectors, team management, and the captain of the team, is clear, that is to single out the best combination that can bring home the ICC trophy, that has been evading the Men in Blue since 2013.

Thus, the focus is razor sharp for the upcoming quarter that will be filled with 50-over format cricket. To accomplish the mission, the match winners of the team have to step up constantly, and while addressing that former India captain and ex-BCCI president Sourav Ganguly has picked a player who "will be very important" in the upcoming assignments and should also become the part of the longest format of the game.

3 things you need to know

• Asia Cup 2023 is underway and is being played in the 'Hybrid Model'
• India will take on Pakistan on September 2, 2023
• Wicketkeeper-batsman will miss Team India's initial two matches

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Sourav Ganguly wants Hardik Pandya to play Test cricket as well

In a recent interview with Rev Sportz, Sourav Ganguly discussed the matters pertaining to Team India. During his interaction, he took the name of Hardik Pandya and reiterated his stance about him. According to Ganguly, Pandya's all-round capability provides fluidity and balance to the squad, which could come in handy when the team travels abroad. Regarding the same, Ganguly urged the BCCI, selectors, coaches and the captain to find a way to make him play Test cricket.

"Hardik Pandya is very important, I keep saying that he must play Test cricket also. Specially away from home, his bowling is not needed in India but it will be needed when he goes away... when India go away. So, the captain, coach, and selectors, might, must find a way to get him to play Test cricket and bowl 10 overs a day. He just balances the team out. Hardik will be very important."

With Hardik Pandya, the aspect that revolves around is his workload management. It is often been stated by experts and fans that, it is better to keep him away from Test cricket so that he remains fit for the limited-overs. And on occasions, he has ostensibly sidelined himself from wearing the white jersey. 

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Hardik Pandya's Test statistics

Up until now, Hardik Pandya has played 11 Tests for India. He has amassed 532 runs in his total innings, carrying an average of 31.29. He has 4 half centuries to his name and a three-figure mark that came against Sri Lanka in 2017. When it comes to bowling, he has taken 17 wickets in the matches he has played, which contains the 5-wicket haul that he took against England in 2018 at Nottingham.