Indian batsman Suryakumar Yadav noted that it's a very promising sign that Hardik Pandya is bowling again before the series against Sri Lanka. He highlighted that Pandya was active in the intra-squad practice match on Monday and has been training regularly in the nets.
Having played together for the Mumbai Indians, Suryakumar and Hardik are well-acquainted with each other's game. Recently, Hardik has been providing immense value to India as a powerful finisher with an impressive strike rate.
Suryakumar mentioned that while Hardik bowled during the ODI and T20 series against England in March, he didn't bowl at all during the IPL. This was a deliberate tactical decision by the Mumbai Indians' management, a role that both the team and Hardik fully understood and accepted.
Whether he bowls in the Sri Lanka series will now be decided by the management and Hardik himself. While he has been a reliable bowler for India in the past, his frequency dropped following a serious back injury at the 2018 Asia Cup. His current physical condition regarding bowling will be a key point of focus leading up to the T20 World Cup.
Known for his creative batting style, Suryakumar made a strong international debut, hitting his first half-century in only his second T20 against England this year. He expressed an eagerness to grow under the mentorship of Rahul Dravid and stated he is comfortable batting anywhere in the order, thoroughly enjoying his current role.