Glenn McGrath tells Hardik Pandya to tune out external advice; backs Rishabh Pant to come good

Glenn McGrath. Pic/Atul Kamble

Hardik Pandya is all set to take on the burden of captaincy having been named as the skipper for India's tour of Ireland.

For an all-rounder, the job can be especially demanding since they already contribute in all three facets of the game. Despite his success in the IPL with the Gujarat Titans, some have raised concerns if his back can carry the workload of fast bowling for a prolonged period, especially considering it was his bowling action that caused the injuries in the first place.

However, Australian fast bowling legend Glenn McGrath doesn't believe that Pandya needs to alter his action, or his batting style for that matter. According to PTI, McGrath said,"Hardik has got so much experience now. He knows what he needs to do. He doesn't need to be told by coaches what he needs to do. He is a quality all-rounder, quality hitter."

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He added, "Some games go well, others don't as well. Overall, he knows what he needs to do."

However, Pandya hasn't been the only newbie to take up the gig as India's captain. Rishabh Pant, who captained the Delhi Capitals in the IPL, was named as the skipper for the ongoing series against the Proteas.

Pant is among several other candidates being groomed to take over the captaincy role permanently from Rohit Sharma. Unfortunately for Pant, captaincy hasn't gone hand-in-hand with his batting returns.

He has often been criticized for playing too aggressively and throwing his wicket away. However, McGrath believes that it is all a part of his learning curve and backs Pant to figure his out own game, as well as his captaincy, sooner rather than later.

He said, "It is about experience as well. He is an entertainer. He has to work out a way which is best for him. The culture is set at the top. you have to have a strong leader, who can lead from the front. It is a good learning experience as well."