‘He gets injured very quickly’: India Star’s fitness worries Kapil Dev ahead of ODI World Cup

India has been battling many injury issues during the World Cup year with Jasprit Bumrah, Rishabh Pant, Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul recovering at the NCA in Bengaluru.

KL Rahul is likely to lead India in Ireland T20Is. (Image: Twitter)

New Delhi: Kapil Dev, the former Indian captain of India who won the World Cup in 1983, highlighted all-rounder Hardik Pandya as one of the injury threats ahead of the upcoming ODI World Cup later this year and stated that he always fears for the captain of the Gujarat Titans .

Pandya was out of action for quite some time after the 2021 T20 World Cup in the UAE due to a back stress fracture and underwent surgery. The explosive right-hander made a sensational comeback to lead Gujarat Titans to its first IPL trophy in 2022.

Thereafter, Pandya has performed consistently for the Indian team, cementing his place in the mid-table and even leading the national side in the best play of the match on a few occasions.

“Injuries are part of every athlete’s life. I hope the situation improves. I always fear for Hardik Pandya, he gets injured easily. If all these players are fit and in order, India can become a compact team,” Dev told ABP News.

The comments from the former all-rounder come in after the Indian side suffered several injuries this World Cup year. While Rishabh Pant is almost out of a year after a horrific car accident last December, Prime Minister Pacer Jasprit Bumrah has been sidelined since last September with a back injury and missed the T20 World Cup 2022, Border Gavaskar Trophy, Indian Premier League.

The Mumbai Indians pacesetter has started bowling seven overs a day at the National Cricket Academy and hopes to return during the Ireland T20Is. Batters KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer have also joined the bandwagon and are recovering with the NCA.

The legendary cricketer also believed that the switch between Test cricket and T20Is should stop for some time and that India should focus on playing more ODIs for the World Cup. “Look, a World Cup comes after four years, so you have to be prepared.

“We need match practice, we need more ODIs”, Dev. As of now, India is confirmed to play six ODIs – three each against Australia and the West Indies. In the 2023 Asia Cup, India is likely to receive six more ODIs if Rohit Sharma’s men play the final. The continental event will be played in the 50-over format this year, taking into account the ODI World Cup.