Hardik Pandya to join 10-day fitness camp at NCA after warning from selectors: Reports

The Indian team management under Rahul Dravid has already started looking at future events. With the T20 World Cup slated to be played in Australia later this year, Dravid and Rohit Sharma have identified a pool of players whom they will be wanting for the tournament. Keeping the same in mind, players have been directed to report to the National Cricket Academy (NCA) for a 10-day fitness camp.

Players like KL Rahul, Suryakumar Yadav, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shikhar Dhawan, who have suffered injuries recently have been asked to take part in that camp. Although Pandya has not played any international cricket since the last T20 World Cup, Rahul Dravid and Rohit Sharma have Pandya in their T20 World Cup plans. And thus, he has also been asked to report to the NCA.

The Baroda all-rounder has been struggling with his fitness in the past few months. Although he has recovered to an extent and looks to be ready to play in the IPL, the team management does not want to take a chance. But reports had suggested that Pandya was not keen on joining the camp. However, after a stern warning from the selectors, he has decided to change his stance and will be reporting to the NCA within the next two days.

“Yes, Hardik will join the camp. He was not part of the players called up for the camp earlier as he did not give us any update on his recovery progress. But as the selectors want him to keep in the mix for the South Africa series, he has been added to the list. He will join the camp on Tuesday,” a senior BCCI official was quoted saying by InsideSport.

25 Players to be part of the camp

The 10-day camp has already started at the National Cricket Academy under the watchful eyes of NCA head VVS Laxman and his allies. A total of 25 players have been asked to take part in the camp by the BCCI. These players are on selectors’ radar for all future series before the T20 World Cup.

Players who will attend the NCA Camp: Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shardul Thakur, Shikhar Dhawan, Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav, Washington Sundar, Rahul Chahar, Sanju Samson, Venkatesh Iyer, Avesh Khan, Harshal Patel, Deepak Hooda, Yuzvendra Chahal, Ravi Bishnoi, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Hardik Pandya.