• Source:JND
Add as a preferred

Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan has weighed in on the debate surrounding the inclusion of Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube in India's playing XI for the T20 World Cup 2024. Pathan emphasized that both players will have distinct roles throughout the tournament. He believes Pandya, despite his underwhelming IPL season with 216 runs while captaining Mumbai Indians, will be the first-choice pick due to his experience and proven track record. Pandya's ability to contribute in crucial moments makes him a vital asset for the team, especially in the initial stages of the tournament.

On the other hand, Shivam Dube had an impressive IPL season, scoring 396 runs with three half-centuries at a strike rate of 162.29 for Chennai Super Kings. Pathan suggests that Dube’s role will be more prominent in the knockout stages of the World Cup. His power-hitting capabilities and recent form make him a valuable player for high-pressure matches.

"The good thing about the Indian team now is that they will get a chance to be in form before the Super 8, as we will play teams who are not at the top level apart from Pakistan. This will give us the opportunity to perform and start feeling good. Once on the big stage, if you start feeling good, it's a different ball game altogether. I hope this happens," Pathan said at the Star Sports Press Room.

"Talking about the best finishing options for the Indian squad, I think Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube will play different roles. Hardik will have a set role to finish the game, and Shivam Dube will play as a floater, at least in the playoffs, acting as an enforcer against the spinners. He will play that kind of role," he added.

The former cricketer addressed Pandya's dip in batting form and advised him to bring back his wider batting stance to gain his form back.

"We all know that Hardik's hitting ability has gone down, and that has happened because he probably wants to bat up the order. He used to have a bigger batting stance, a wider stance, which gives you a good base. But in the last 1.5 years, his stance has narrowed slightly. When you have that kind of stance, you have much more free movement, which you want when the ball is doing something, as far as technique is concerned. So, I really think if he wants to play that kind of role, he needs to go back to his original stance, with a wider stance, which will give him a great base for hitting," Pathan said.

Pandya picked 11 wickets, mostly in the back end of the IPL, and will be eyeing to continue his bowling form in the T20 pinnacle. The 39-year-old added that his bowling form in the later stage of the IPL will boost his confidence in the batting.

"Another thing, if he is bowling, he should get going the way he did in the last part of the IPL. It will help his batting as well because he primarily plays in the Indian team as a batting all-rounder rather than a bowling all-rounder. However, it works both ways; if you do well in one area, it boosts your confidence in the other. I've experienced this as an all-rounder. So, I'm confident that by the time the World Cup comes, he will sort out any issues with his hitting ability and play a major role in the tournament," the former all-rounder said.