Pandya eyes to bowl in full rythm before T20 WC

Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya has stated that he is looming to bowling in every match of the World Cup T20 which is set to be hosted by the Board of Control for Cricket in India. WT20I will be played in the month of October-November this year.

The all-rounder failed to make it to the Indian squad in the India squad for the Test series against England and the finals of the World Test Championship.

"I started bowling in the IPL (Indian Premier League) and my focus is on the World Cup. I want to make sure that I will be able to bowl in all the games at the T20 World Cup. I am just trying to be smart and make sure that I don't miss that. On the bowling front, what matters is how fit I am," Pandya told TOI Sportscast.

"Even after my surgery, I didn't drop my pace. I was not able to drop my control. My bowling is related to my fitness. The fitter I get, the better it comes out. As a fast-bowling all-rounder, I tend to get injuries. It is bound to happen and I am okay with it."

Pandya had expressed his willingess to play as a batsman in the Test side as a full time batsman.

"For India, I have realised that my bowling brings a lot of difference because the balance changes," said Pandya, who did not bowl even a single over for Mumbai Indians (MI) in the suspended IPL 2021.

"I have to make sure I am fit to be able to bowl and if I bowl, that brings balance to the side.

"Whenever I play, I don't want to play at 50%. When I play, I will play at 100%," he added.

Hardik, who has played 60 ODIs and 48 T20 Internationals, said the tour of Sri Lanka has come as a surprise.

"When I heard that we are going to Sri Lanka, I was planning to take rest for 3-4 weeks and just not do anything. I was on the road for seven to eight months and for those months, I was preparing myself for one-and-a-half years," he said.

"For the Sri Lanka tour, I started my preparation from Saturday. Focus is on getting ready for Sri Lanka and then obviously, the World Cup."