Praveen Kumar slams Hardik Pandya for skipping domestic cricket

Former India fast bowler Praveen Kumar has criticised newly-appointed Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya for deciding not to play for Team India or his state side Baroda in domestic cricket, preferring instead to return to the Indian Premier League (IPL) after recovering from injury.

Pandya was sidelined due to an ankle injury. He sustained the injury during an ODI against Bangladesh in the World Cup in November 2023. He underwent extensive rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru till February this year. He made his comeback to competitive cricket in the recently concluded DY Patil T20 Cup in Navi Mumbai.

A video circulating on social media shows Praveen Kumar expressing his displeasure with Pandya's decision to skip domestic cricket and national duty. Kumar criticised the trend of players prioritising the IPL over representing their country or state.

Kumar remarked:

“You get injured two months before the IPL. Neither do you play for the country nor for your state team in domestic cricket, and then you directly play in the IPL. This is not acceptable. There is nothing wrong with earning money in the IPL, but players should also prioritize playing for their state and country. Nowadays, players seem to prioritize the IPL.” 

Hardik Pandya returned to Mumbai Indians after a trade deal with Gujarat Titans for INR 15 crore before the IPL 2024 Auction. He was then appointed as captain, replacing the five-time IPL-winning captain Rohit Sharma. This move received significant criticism.

Although Pandya represents Baroda in domestic cricket, he has not played in any domestic matches since 2021. The Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy was his last domestic appearance.