Hardik Pandya Test Return? Star All-rounder Gives Cryptic Answer

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Mumbai, January 4: Indian T20I skipper Hardik Pandya has given an update on his possible return to the Test set up after making a brilliant comeback in white-ball format.

Pandya, who last played a Test in August 2018, gave a cryptic reply when he was asked about his comeback in red ball cricket during the pre-match press conference ahead of the T20I series against Sri Lanka.

"When I will be seen in whites? Let me be fully on blues first, then I will see about the whites," Pandya had said before India beat Sri Lanka in a thriller in the first T20I.

The 29-year-old has made a decent comeback to the national team, having been dropped following a poor showing at the 2021 T20 World Cup. He got back in contention after he led Gujarat Titans (GT) to the IPL 2022 title in their inaugural season.

On the back of the IPL title triumph, Pandya has been made captain of the T20I side in the absence of skipper Rohit Sharma, and has also been named the vice captain of the ODI side.

Pandya last played in all three formats in 2018, but injuries have kept him away from action or at least stopped him from bowling since 2019.

Even on Tuesday (January 3), during the 2-run win against Sri Lanka, the all-rounder took the new ball, but had to leave the field for a brief period after taking a catch, and the skipper joking said he likes to scare people.

"It is just cramps. Now I have tendency to scare people. I did not sleep well, did not drink enough water and hence the glutes were stiff. I was unwell and I had my fluids down," said Pandya at the presentation ceremony.

The All-rounder has so far played 11 Tests, scoring 532 runs inluding a hundred and four fifties at an average of 31.29. With the ball, he has taken 17 wickets including a five-wicket haul in an away Test in England.

Now, Team India will hope the star all-rounder maintains his fitness to return to the red ball cricket as well. India's next Test assignment is a four-match home series against Australia, starting in February.