Cricket

Hardik Pandya's captaincy prospects appear uncertain as former New Zealand all-rounder Scott Styris believes the added responsibilities could hinder his performance and fitness. Styris supports the Indian team management's decision to refrain from appointing Pandya as captain, citing concerns about his injury history and the physical demands of bowling.Styris emphasizes that Pandya's all-rounder abilities make him India's best in that role. However, he believes that the pressures of captaincy could compromise his fitness and consistency. "I wouldn't have personally made Hardik Pandya my captain either," Styris told News18. "I think that's a smart choice solely for one reason, and that is as an all-rounder. Skills-wise, he is India's best all-rounder. He is phenomenal. But you want him to be consistently fit."Pandya's recurrent injuries and the physical toll of bowling are key factors in Styris' assessment. "At the moment, how he's in and out with his injuries, you know, bowling is really hard. It takes a lot out of you and your body. So sometimes, adding all the responsibility of captaincy is not necessarily a good thing because there's just too much to do," Styris explained.Styris also highlights Pandya's crucial role as a bowler, especially given the fitness concerns surrounding key pacers like Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami. Pandya's presence as a sixth bowler can be invaluable for the team. "These fast bowling stocks are the one area where India probably needs a little bit more help, which is why I like the selection of these youngsters. Anytime Bumrah is not here, your team is going to be weaker. He's as good as anyone who's ever played the game, especially the white ball. So the decision to give him a rest, you totally understand. You've got to make sure that he's fresh and ready for some of the other challenges that India have in front of them," Styris added."You want more out of Hardik Pandya. That's why I like the decision not to make him captain because I really want to see him stand up with a dominant role with the ball more than anything," he concluded.The consensus among experts like Styris is that Hardik Pandya should focus on his all-rounder capabilities and maintaining fitness. This would allow him to contribute effectively without the added burden of captaincy.

Hardik Pandya, the Indian all-rounder, possesses exceptional skills comparable to England's premier all-rounder and captain, Ben Stokes. However, former New Zealand cricketer Scott Styris believes that Pandya needs to demonstrate greater consistency in his performances.Styris acknowledges Pandya's immense talent, stating that he is "in a similar ability-zone as someone like Ben Stokes." However, he emphasizes the need for Pandya to translate his abilities into consistent performances. "He's got much more talent than that (his recent performances)," Styris said.Styris highlights the importance of Pandya's availability and fitness in delivering consistent performances. "He is a phenomenally skilled cricketer. But he hasn't quite shown it yet as consistently enough for my liking," Styris said. "I want to see him get his body right and be that dominant all-rounder that we know."Styris also praises left-arm all-rounder Axar Patel, who he believes will play a crucial role in India's upcoming T20I and ODI series against Sri Lanka. "I'm a huge fan of Axar Patel," Styris said. "He's one of those players who always gets in the fight, always gets in the contest."Styris also expresses his desire to see a larger role for Rinku Singh, who missed out on India's T20 World Cup squad. "I would still like to see Rinku come in first," Styris said. "The way he's performed for India, he hasn't done anything wrong."Styris commends the timing of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Ravindra Jadeja's retirements from T20Is. "I think it was the perfect time for those three to step away," Styris said. "It's a real opportunity for India to give some experience to the next generation of players."Styris believes that the young Indian cricketers have immense talent, as evidenced by their performances in the IPL. "They won't have those senior guys around to lean on," Styris said. "But the one thing that we can take away from the IPL is the next wave of Indian batsmen are talented."

India's T20 World Cup Team Balance Raises Concerns, Says Scott StyrisFormer New Zealand all-rounder Scott Styris has expressed concerns about the balance of the Indian team participating in the ongoing T20 World Cup. While acknowledging the talent within the squad, Styris highlighted weaknesses that could hinder their progress."India has got a lot of talent, but they have holes as well," Styris said. "They don't field really well. The balance of the team could be a problem."Styris's comments come as India prepares for their tournament opener against Ireland on June 5. The team has been criticized for its lack of all-rounders and its reliance on spin bowling in conditions that may not favor them.Former Australian captain Shane Watson, however, believes that Indian skipper Rohit Sharma can overcome concerns surrounding his form and lead the team to success. Watson drew a comparison between Rohit and David Warner, who was named Player of the Tournament in 2021."Great players find a way to step up and get things together at the right time," Watson said. "Rohit Sharma knows how to turn it on when he needs to."Watson also acknowledged the potential threat posed by India, depending on the playing conditions. "If things come about nicely and their spinners have the impact they think they'll have in the conditions, there's no question they can go on a big run," Watson added.India's team balance will be put to the test in their opening match against Ireland. A strong performance could silence critics and boost their confidence, while a disappointing result could raise further questions about their chances of success in the tournament.

Former South African and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) cricketer AB de Villiers has sparked a light-hearted banter with former New Zealand and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) all-rounder Scott Styris over the latter's perceived jinx on RCB's fortunes in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 season.RCB has endured a dismal start to the season, languishing at the bottom of the table with just two points from seven games. Styris, who has been spotted wearing the RCB jersey on match days, has become an unwitting target of blame for the team's struggles.In a tongue-in-cheek comment on Styris' social media post, De Villiers urged him to "stop wearing that shirt immediately!!!!" Styris, however, responded with a challenge, offering to give up the RCB jersey if De Villiers agreed to wear a CSK shirt once."I said I would wear the shirt. It has been a bad omen. I am a bad mascot for RCB, which is pleasing from my perspective," Styris said. "So I am prepared to put out a challenge back to AB de Villiers because he says it's time for me to stop wearing the shirt. I will stop wearing the shirt for RCB matches moving forward if De Villiers wears the CSK shirt once."Former England captain Eoin Morgan, who was present during the exchange, agreed that Styris' counter-challenge was "fair."RCB's latest setback came against Sunrisers Hyderabad, who set a new IPL record for the highest total, amassing 287-3 on Monday. The match also witnessed the highest aggregate for a T20 game, with a combined total of 549 runs.Despite valiant efforts from Virat Kohli, Faf du Plessis, and Dinesh Karthik, RCB fell short by 25 runs, resulting in their sixth defeat of the season.The banter between De Villiers and Styris has provided a moment of levity amidst RCB's struggles. Whether or not De Villiers accepts Styris' challenge remains to be seen, but it is clear that the former South African star is not taking the team's poor form lightly.