Lance Klusener believes Hardik Pandya needs to feature in Test cricket: ‘He will always be challenging as one of the best all rounders in the world’ – The Indian Express

India are gearing up for a second straight World Test Championship Final in two years. The runner ups from 2021 will face Australia, the team they have won their last four Test series against, in the one-off match starting June 7 at The Oval.
Former South Africa cricketer Lance Klusener however believes T20 captain Hardik Pandya shouldn’t give up on Test cricket.
“Yes, possibly. Test cricket (is) always the pinnacle of testing where you are as a cricketer, and testing yourselves,” Klusener told reporters in a recent interaction.
“He (Pandya) is a fantastic cricketer, and if he can stay fit and continues to bowl 135+ kmph, he will always be challenging as one of the best allrounders in the world,” he added.
Pandya, who made his Test debut in 2017, has 11 appearances in the format of India with 532 runs that include a century and 17 wickets. His last Test match for India was during the 2018 tour of England following which the all-rounder hasn’t been able to play the format owing to recurring back issues that kept him out of bowling for long periods.
Having led Gujarat Titans to a second IPL final in two years, Pandya had said recently that he felt it was ‘ethically wrong’ for him to think of a place in India’s squad for the WTC final.
“I haven’t done 10 per cent to reach there. I am not even a part of one per cent. So, me coming there and taking someone’s place will ethically not go well. If I want to play Test cricket, I’ll go through the grind and earn my spot. Hence, for that reason I will not be available for the WTC final or future Test series until I don’t feel that I have earned my spot,” he had said.
India qualified for the 2023 World Test Championship Final second on the points table with 127 points and 58.8 Points Percentage System (PCT). While they lost the series in South Africa and drew a five-match series in England, India enjoyed a near perfect record at home with wins against New Zealand, Sri Lanka, and Australia and another away series triumph in Bangladesh. 

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