Former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan has recently claimed that back in 2012, he had suggested Hardik Pandya’s name to VVS Laxman to be selected for the Sunrisers Hyderabad. However, SRH could not get the Baroda all-rounder. Hardik would later be brought by the Mumbai Indians in 2015. The pace-bowling all-rounder went on to have immense success for the franchise, winning trophies, and when he moved to the Gujarat Titans, Hardik also managed to win a title as the leader.
Clarifying the rumours on Pathan having with Hardik, Pathan said, the former on Lallantop said, “There’s no rivalry between me and Hardik Pandya. There’s nothing as such. No player from Baroda who went to the top can say that Irfan Pathan and Yusuf Pathan didn’t support them at any specific time. Even VVS Laxman said that I regret that I didn’t listen to Irfan in 2012. If I had listened, then Hardik would’ve played for SunRisers Hyderabad. Laxman said that.”
Pathan, ahead of the 2024 World Cup questioned the selection of Hardik in the side. “What I feel about Hardik Pandya is that Indian cricket needs to make it clear that they should not give him that much priority as they have given him so far, because we still haven’t won the World Cup. And if you think you are a primary all-rounder, you need to make that kind of an impact at the international level.”
“As far as the all-rounder is concerned, he hasn’t made that impact at the international level; we are only thinking about the potential. We are getting confused between the IPL performances and the international performances. That’s a big difference,” he added.
“There is nothing wrong if you criticise a player. If you are playing cricket, you have to face it. It happened with Sunil Gavaskar and Sachin Tendulkar. They never made any feel that they were above the game. I am against the derogatory words used against Hardik,” Pathan defended himself.
