Hardik Pandya is still not an all-rounder, asserts Michael Holding
Former legendary pacer Michael Holding is of the opinion that Hardik Pandya, who has come under fire in the ongoing England tour, is not the all-rounder Team India wants him to be. Holding feels that Pandya is neither delivering the goods as a bowler nor contributing enough with the willow.
Speaking to ESPNCricinfo, the West Indian fast bowling great said, âThe (Indian) attack has not been the right balance. Apparently they are playing Hardik Pandya as an all-rounder to help out with the bowling. When he bowls he isnât as effective as he should be.â
âHappy with that. But he is not getting the amount of runs that can then allow him to get a wicket or two in the Test. That doesnât work,â Holding added.
After making his Test debut against Sri Lanka in July last year, Pandya has played nine matches so far and has amassed 458 runs with an average of 32.71. As a bowler his records are not good either. The Baroda all-rounder has claimed only 10 wickets so far in his Test career.
Before the Lordâs Test where he picked up three, Pandya remained wicketless in four consecutive matches which is not exactly what the team management wants from him. Holding feels that Pandya doesnât have the requisite skills to be a proper all-rounder.
âI donât think he does a lot with the ball. He is not consistent. He does not have the control that puts batsmen under pressure constantly. He will bowl a couple of good deliveries, yes, but you need to have the control to put batsmen under pressure consistently. And he doesnât have that.
âIf he was a good batsman, if he was getting runs â 60s, 70s, not even regular hundreds â at the number at which he bats and then he bowls and gets two or three wickets, happy, hallelujah,â said Holding.
âIf you are going to be a frontline bowler anywhere in the world, if you are going to be someone that your captain can rely on, then can throw you the ball and expect you to get wickets and expect you to have control. He is not really the man in my opinion,â Holding stated.
In the ongoing series in England, Pandya has scored only 90 runs at an average of 22.5 and has picked up three wickets, all of which came in the second game.
