IND vs AUS: Hardik Pandya to Make Test Comeback? All-Rounder Gives Update Ahead of Australia Series

Leading Team India on numerous occasions in the absence of captain Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya has already shown his potential to lead the side from the front. The all-rounder has been clinical in both ODI and T20I formats but what about Test cricket? Pandya has only played 11 Tests for India after making his debut against Sri Lanka in July 2017. The right-handed all-rounder has an average of 31.3 along with 17 wickets to his name. The talented cricketer played his last Test in 2018 against England.

"Right now, I'm going to focus on White ball cricket, which is important, and if time is right and body is fine I'll give the long format a try," said Pandya while talking to reports. (READ: Virat Kohli's Two Biggest Threats in Australian Camp)

Will Hardik Pandya return to Test cricket after remarkable comebacks in T20Is and ODIs #HardikPandya #TeamIndia@BCCI #INDvsAUS pic.twitter.com/sGtPG3LJrK — Parsuram Samal (@ParsuramSamal3) February 2, 2023

Hardik is not part of the India squad for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. He said he will come back to Test cricket when his body feels fine. Team India will take on Australia in a 4-match Test series starting on February 9. (READ: AUS Head Coach Andrew McDonald Says Tackling India's 'Slide Spin' Will Be Biggest Challenge)

Coming to India squad, Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin will return to the team after a while. Jadeja is coming back after a long injury that ruled him out for almost over 6 months. The hosts have already started practice in Nagpur.

India vs Australia full squads (First two Tests)

Team India squad: Rohit Sharma (C), KL Rahul (vc), Shubman Gill, C Pujara, V Kohli, S Iyer, KS Bharat (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), R Ashwin, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohd. Shami, Mohd. Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Jaydev Unadkat, Suryakumar Yadav