Pandya one of the best pace-bowling all-rounders: Klusener

Rating Hardik Pandya as one of the best fast-bowling all-rounders, former South African great Lance Klusener believes that the Indian possibly gave up on Test cricket a bit too easily

Rating Hardik Pandya as one of the best fast-bowling all-rounders, former South African great Lance Klusener believes that the Indian possibly gave up on Test cricket a bit too easily to manage his workload.

Plagued by injuries, Pandya, who last played Tests for India in September 2018, has limited himself to only playing white-ball cricket and ruled himself out of the upcoming World Test Championship (WTC) final against Australia.

Pandya had ruled himself out saying it would not be "ethical" to take someone's place without even contributing 1% in India's journey to the WTC final.

"He (Pandya) is a fantastic cricketer, and if he can stay fit and continues to bowl 135+ kmph, he will always be challenging as one of the best allrounders in the world," Klusener told reporters in a media interaction at the Calcutta Sports Journalists' Club.

Asked if Pandya gave up on Test cricket a bit too easily, Klusener said, “Yes, possibly. Test cricket (is) always the pinnacle of testing where you are as a cricketer, and testing yourselves.”

"Test cricket hasn't really changed much from way back but I also understand that times have moved on as well." Klusener further stated a fast-bowling allrounder is not a "dibbly-dobbler" but someone who can clock 135kph consistently.

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