'Will BCCI Ask Him Not To Play?': After Horrendous Show In Home Test Matches, India Star Advised To Return To Red Ball Cricket

India, despite being a cricketing powerhouse for quite some time, haven't been able to replicate their dominance in the longest and the purest format of the sport, Test cricket. 2025 was a perfect example of how India have been struggling in Test cricket for some time, especially in home conditions. In the ongoing World Test Championship cycle, India have managed to win only four out of their last nine Test matches.

As things stand, India haven't been able to crack the code of team combination, and they are in dire need of an all-rounder who can fire in both the departments of the game. India did manage to get things going with Nitish Reddy and Washington Sundar, but they have been used more as batters lately.

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Robin Uthappa Speaks On The Possibilities Of Hardik Pandya's Test Return

Ex-India star Robin Uthappa feels that Hardik Pandya can be a perfect fit in the Indian Test team and has urged him to consider his chances of playing the longest international format. Uthappa feels that if Hardik can bowl in Test cricket and return to the number seven spot, it will do a world of good to the Indian team.

'If Hardik Pandya returns to the No. 7 spot in Tests, it would be wonderful. The way he’s playing. Anything can happen; it’s cricket. Never say never. If Hardik decides to play Test cricket, will BCCI ask him not to play? If he says he wants to play and wants to win the World Test Championship (WTC), I don’t think they would say no,' said Robin Uthappa while speaking on his YouTube channel.

The ex-India player and the winner of the 2007 T20 World Cup also said that all-rounders aren't bowling 20 overs. Hardik Pandya's potential substitute Nitish Kumar Reddy also isn't bowling that much. Uthappa further added that the kind of fitness Hardik has, he can easily bowl 12-15 overs per innings.

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Hardik Pandya's Test Career In Numbers

Hardik Pandya, the 32-year-old all-rounder, has played a total of 11 Test matches for India and has scored 532 runs at an average of 31.29. The star all-rounder has also picked 17 wickets for India in the longest format of the game.