Pandya's ticket to US, Caribbean hangs on how he bowls this IPL

HARDIK PANDYA'S COMEBACK to the Indian team for the T20 World Cup might well depend on how well and how often he bowls in the remainder of the IPL. In a meeting between India head coach Rahul Dravid, chairman of the selection committee Ajit Agarkar and captain Rohit Sharma at the BCCI headquarters in Mumbai last week, it's understood that a decision was taken that Hardik has to bowl regularly if he wants to make a comeback.

- DEVENDRA PANDEY

IE understands that the major part of the discussion in the two-hour meeting was about the seam bowling all-rounder which the team is looking for in the USA and West Indies, which will host the World Cup.

Pandya has been having a horror run in the IPL with adverse reactions from the crowd who are seemingly unhappy that he replaced Rohit as Mumbai Indians' captain.

His performances with both bat and ball hasn't been up to the mark, as yet. On Sunday night, he was smashed for three consecutive sixes by MS Dhoni in the final over of the CSK's innings, triggering more handwringing over him. With a good pool of batsmen already in the mix, India want Pandya the allrounder at the World Cup as that would lend them with the much-needed balance.