T20 World Cup 2024: 'Hasn't Made Impact as All-Rounder at International Level' - Irfan Pathan on Hardik Pandya

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Former pacer Irfan Pathan has said Indian cricket must stop giving much priority to Hardik Pandya as an all-rounder if they want to win ICC tournaments days ahead of the T20 World Cup 2024 squad announcement.

The Mumbai Indians skipper has been battling poor form this IPL season be it with the bat or the ball, raising questions about his inclusion in India's T20 World Cup squad, which is to be announced before May 1st deadline.

Hardik took over the Mumbai Indians captaincy from Rohit Sharma at the start of the 2024 season, leading the team to just 3 wins in 8 matches so far. He has been welcomed with boos across venues this season.

The 30-year-old has scored 151 runs at a strike rate of 142.45 in 8 innings, while he has claimed 4 wickets at an economy rate of 10.94. Despite the form, he is likely to be picked in the Indian squad for the T20 World Cup 2024 in June.

Pathan, who has included his state teammate in his 15-member squad for the T20 World Cup, has said Pandya is yet to create an impact as an all-rounder at international level.

"What I feel about Hardik Pandya is that Indian cricket needs to make it clear that they should not give him that much priority as they have given him so far, because we still haven't won the World Cup," Pathan said on Star Sports Press Room Show, Ticket to World Cup.

"If you think you are a primary all-rounder, you need to make that kind of an impact at the international level. As far as the all-rounder is concerned he hasn't made that impact at the international level, we are only thinking about the potential."

The former India left-arm pacer also said that there is a "big difference" between performance in the IPL and international cricket, and advised Pandya to play throughout the year instead of "picking" tournaments.

"We are getting confused between the IPL performances and the international performances. That's a big difference. First of all, he needs to play throughout the year. He cannot pick and choose," Pathan added.

"Indian cricket needs to stop doing that. Stop giving preferences to individuals, if you do that, you will not be winning major tournaments."

The former cricketer, who is currently working on the Star Sports panel in IPL 2024, also explained how Australia playing as a team rather than depending on individuals has won big tournaments.

"What Australia has been doing for many years is that they are actually preferring the team game. Making everyone a superstar. Not one superstar, everybody is a superstar in the squad. If you don't do that, you will not win big tournaments," Pathan said.

Pandya, who has led the Indian team in the shortest format, has so far scored 1348 runs, including 3 fifties in 71 T20I innings at a striker rate of 139.83. He has also claimed 73 wickets in 81 innings at an economy rate of 8.16 and a best of 4 for 16.

India has struggled to find a pace-bowling all-rounder when Hardik has missed action due to injury. Shivam Dube has been considered for the spot, but he hardly bowls. Venkatesh Iyer was also given a chance, but he too failed to take his chance.