T20 World Cup 2021 | Hardik Pandya should be ready to bowl before the start of Super 12 fixtures, says Rohit Sharma

Hardik Pandya, who did not bowl a single delivery during the UAE leg of IPL 2021, refrained from rolling his arms in the first warm-up game against England on Monday, October 18. Moreover, Bhuvneshwar Kumar leaking 54 runs from his four overs quota against England in the warm-up match on Monday, must have given the management an extra headache. The Virat Kohli-led side is looking to figure out their best bowling combination and the sixth bowling option before the start of their campaign against Pakistan on October 24. 

At the toss before the start of India's second and final warm-up match against Australia at the ICC Academy Ground on Wednesday, stand-in captain Rohit Sharma gave a positive update on Hardik's bowling fitness and said that the 28-year-old "should be ready" to bowl by the time Super 12 stage of the competition kicks off. Notably, eight teams divided into two groups are clashing against each other in Round 1. Two teams from each group will enter the Super 12 round which starts on October 23. 

"We obviously want to make sure we get our sixth bowling option as well. Possibly today is the game we can try all those things, try and see who can bowl, the bowler who can come in the bowl as the 6th option," Rohit Sharma said at the toss ceremony of the second warm-up match against Australia.

"He is coming along pretty well. But it's still going to take some time I think. Because he hasn't bowled much. So when you play in these tournaments, you need to be absolutely fit and 100 percent. In fact, more than 100 percent. He is just getting there, he hasn't started bowling yet. But hopefully, in the next few days, he will start bowling. He should be ready anytime when the World Cup starts" Rohit Sharma said. 

The Mumbai Indians (MI) captain also conceded that Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, and himself might also have to take the responsibility to play the role of the team's sixth bowler. 

"Possibly, we need to find that sixth option (Rohit's off-spinners ready). Myself, Virat and Suryakumar, all those guys need to come in and bowl see who can be that sixth option. Not really (Worried about the balance). Even if you play with 5 bowlers, we have got the quality. But always you need that 6th option to free your bowlers, in case someone has a bad day. It's always nice to have options when you're playing a tournament as big as the World Cup," Rohit added.

Virat Kohli bowled two overs against Australia and gave away 12 runs.