Hardik Pandya did not fail any fitness test, confirms his trainer

As per the latest reports which completely contradict the news that came out yesterday, Hardik Pandya has not undergone any fitness test nor has the BCCI asked Pandya to undergo any fitness test.
The all-rounder is fit but his trainer S Rajnikanth thought that Pandya should continue with his training for now to assess his workload. It is Rajnikanth’s call that Pandya should not be exposed to the workload with many important games ahead.

“He is 100% fit. There is no doubt about that. But I don’t want him to take the workload of back-to-back international matches. No fitness test has been conducted for Pandya yet, so there’s no question of him failing any test,” Rajnikanth told TOI.

Pandya will not be part of India A’ tours coming up and is unlikely to be part of India’s senior team series in New Zealand either.

“But that’s not because he’s not fit or has failed any test. He’s fit, he can score a 20 in yoyo right now. He’s doing his 20 meters too, effortlessly. Why I pulled him out is because of his bowling. That is still work in progress – the bowling workload at the international level,” Rajnikanth added.

The trainer has sent all data and reports related to Pandya to the BCCI and in Hardik’s place, Vijay Shankar has been drafted into the India ‘A’ squad for the one-day leg of their tour of New Zealand. The 28-year-old all-rounder has already flown to the country with the other team members.

India A squad for 2 tour matches and 3 one-day games –

Prithvi Shaw, Mayank Agarwal, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shubman Gill (C), Suryakumar Yadav, Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan (WK), Vijay Shankar, Krunal Pandya, Axar Patel, Rahul Chahar, Sandeep Warrier, Ishan Porel, Khaleel Ahmed, Mohd. Siraj.

India A squad for the first four-day game –

Prithvi Shaw, Mayank Agarwal, Priyank Panchal, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Shubman Gill, Hanuma Vihari (C), KS Bharat (WK), Shivam Dube, Shahbaz Nadeem, Rahul Chahar, Sandeep Warrier, Avesh Khan, Mohd. Siraj, Ishan Porel, Ishan Kishan.