‘Why Would You Punish Him?’: Aakash Chopra Defends Hardik Pandya Amid BCCI Contract Saga
Hardik Pandya will play domestic cricket | Source: X.com
Former Indian cricketer turned commentator, Aakash Chopra, has stepped up to defend Hardik Pandya amidst allegations of partiality, especially following the exclusion of Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan from the BCCI central contract.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India has recently released the roster of centrally contracted players for the 2023-24 season. Shreyas and Kishan have been left out, raising eyebrows as Hardik Pandya earns a Grade A contract, despite his absence from the Ranji Trophy.
Here’s what Aaksh Chopra said about Hardik Pandya
"Hardik Pandya's case is very simple. Why would you punish him if he has not made a mistake?
"He is not playing red-ball cricket. That ambition or aspiration does not exist anymore. He has not said that as such, but the truth is that he is not available at all for any Test series."
The ex-India opening batter emphasized that Hardik Pandya is currently not vying for a spot in the Test squad and lacks the endurance that is required for playing first-class cricket.
"So if you are not at all auditioning for Tests, no one will ask you to play first-class cricket.
"Why would you play four-day games when you don't have that much strength in your body to bowl so many overs and have injury problems? So why should he play - fair play," Chopra added.
Reports indicate that Hardik Pandya has assured the BCCI of his commitment to playing domestic cricket, particularly focusing on white-ball formats during periods when he won't be representing India internationally.
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