India vs Australia: 'Red hot' Hardik Pandya should be included in Tests, says Mohammad Kaif

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Bengaluru, December 7: Former India batsman Mohammad Kaif called for in-form all-rounder Hardik Pandya to be included in the squad for the upcoming Test series against Australia.

Pandya played a match-winning knock of 42* off 22 balls in India's six-wicket win over Australia in the second T20I at Sydney Cricket Ground on Sunday (December 6) to give the visitors an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.

The Baroda all-rounder, who scored 281 runs at a strike rate of 178.98 for title-winning Mumbai Indians in the IPL 2020, carried his form from into the ODI series and also the T20I series against Australia.

Pandya scored 210 runs in the recently concluded three-match ODI series and scored 58 runs in the first two games of the shortest format. However, he is not part of India's squad for the longest format and that prompted Kaif to call for the all-rounder to stay back in Australia for the Tests.

Taking to Twitter Kaif wrote, "@hardikpandya7, with an average of nearly 90, has emerged as India's go to batsman in white-ball cricket, behind @imVkohli. Time is ripe for Hardik to be added to the Test squad, in this red hot form worth holding him back in Australia."

Pandya, who has been part of the limited overs format, hasn't played a Test match since September 2018. He has played in 11 Tests so far and with him playing as just a pure batsman, it's very unlikely, he will return to the longest format soon. But, Pandya doesn't mind staying back for the Test series.

"It is a different ball-game, I do not mind if they ask me to stay back for the Test matches, the call lies with the team management, I cannot say much about it," Pandya said at the post-match press conference.

Earlier this year in June, ahead of his return after a back surgery, Pandya had said playing Test cricket will be a challenge for him.

"I see myself as a back-up seamer for sure. After my back surgery, I don't know, playing Test cricket right now will be a challenge," the 26-year-old told Cricbuzz.

"If I was a Test player and didn't have the game in white-ball cricket, I could go now and risk my back in Tests but I know my importance in white ball cricket."

India are scheduled to play four Tests against Australia after the conclusion of the T20I series. The first Test of the series is a pink ball game which will be played at the Adelaide Oval from December 17.