Overview
- India recalled Hardik Pandya for the home five-match ODI series against South Africa starting in Cuttack on Tuesday.
- Former batting coach Sanjay Bangar described Pandya as a one-of-a-kind all-rounder who could be selected purely as a top-order batter or as a frontline seamer.
- Bangar said a fit Pandya allows India to field its desired combination, particularly with the spin options available.
- Urging careful workload management, Bangar recommended that Pandya play at least the first three games and noted domestic cricket intensity differs from international level.
- Pandya returned from a quadriceps injury after scoring 77 not out and bowling four overs for Baroda in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, as Shubman Gill also comes back from a neck issue and Bangar tips Jitesh Sharma over Sanju Samson for a lower-order role.