BCCI to take a call on Hardik Pandya's T20 World Cup spot by October 15

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) selection committee is contemplating including an additional fast bowler for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2021 in place of all-rounder Hardik Pandya. The selectors' concerns come from the fact that Pandya didn't bowl a single over during the UAE leg of the IPL for Mumbai Indians (MI).

Earlier, MI head coach Mahela Jayawardena had said that the management are not pushing Hardik to bowl owing to the niggle he has been carrying. Interestingly, the Chetan Sharma-led selection panel had selected Pandya in the team as an all-rounder. The 28-yer-old is vital in maintaining the balance of the side and if he doesn't bowl, it will be a major concern for the team. Skipper Virat Kohli during several of his interviews has talked about how Pandya’s overs are crucial to fill the fifth bowling slot in the team.

Now the selectors are in dilemma as to whether they want to play Pandya just as a batter in the team. The BCCI selectors have time till October 15 to alter the squad as the ICC have given a one-week window for teams to make final changes.

"Indian team is at least one fast bowler short in the main squad of 15. They have two experienced campaigners in Shardul Thakur, who is also a handy bowling all-rounder, and Deepak Chahar, who has shown his batting prowess in Sri Lanka in the stand byes.

"So in case Hardik is not able to bowl, one of the two can be fitted in by the Committee," a senior BCCI source told, according to Onmanorama.

Deepak Chahar and Shardul Thakur are on the team as travelling reserves during the T20 World Cup.