Gautam Gambhir emphasizes the need for Hardik Pandya to gain match practice ahead of the ODI World Cup

India's head coach Gautam Gambhir highlighted the importance of Hardik Pandya getting sufficient game time before the upcoming ODI World Cup, stressing that Pandya needs to be fully fit and in form for the tournament. Pandya, recovering from multiple injuries including a quadriceps injury and calf strain, has missed recent international matches and has been training at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru. Gambhir pointed out that Hardik's unique ability to contribute significantly both with the bat and ball makes him invaluable, and therefore, playing matches before the World Cup is crucial. To aid this, Pandya has been named in the India A squad for a 50-over series against Australia A beginning October 6. Additionally, Gambhir reaffirmed the team's focus on Test cricket as the main priority despite success in T20 formats.