NEW DELHI: Indian cricket legend
Sunil Gavaskar
believes there is no need to be overly concerned about
Hardik Pandya
's bowling form as the
T20 World Cup
approaches, stating that the all-rounder will excel when playing for the national team.
India will kick off their T20 World Cup match against Ireland in New York on June 5.
Despite his average performance for Mumbai Indians in the ongoing IPL, Pandya was retained as vice-captain of the 15-member squad announced by the BCCI on Tuesday.
The MI captain has scored 197 runs and claimed only four wickets in 10 matches, with his team currently in ninth place.
"There's a big difference playing in the IPL and playing for your country. Playing for your country brings out something different in every player and Hardik Pandya will be a different player," said Gavaskar on Sports Today.
"He's had to face a lot of issues in this particular tournament (IPL), he's handled it quite well. When he goes overseas and has to play for India, I think he will be in a completely different frame of mind.
"And that's going to be a much more positive frame of mind than maybe what we have seen here in this tournament. So, Hardik Pandya will make a contribution with both bat and ball in this tournament," added Gavaskar.
Gavaskar also feels this Indian side has the capability to lift the World Cup title.
"They are title contenders, without a question. At the international level, sometimes you need a bit of luck and if this Indian team has just that little bit of luck, then I'm very confident that after 2007 (triumph), the T20 World Cup will come back to India."
The former India skipper felt all the players would be perfectly conditioned going into the mega event given that they would have played a lot of cricket in the IPL.
"They'll go with good rhythm (following the IPL); the bowlers would have bowled a fair bit of overs, the batters will have enough time out in the middle, some of them would have scored 80s, 90s 100s.
"So, clearly, this team will go with that little break... a week break (between the conclusion of IPL and start of the World Cup). With that little break, they will be a little bit refreshed, but at the same time not rusty."
(With inputs from PTI)
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