'I'm a turtle right now not the rabbit', says Hardik on his bowling workload management ahead of World Cup

Bridgetown (Barbados): India's stand-in ODI captain, Hardik Pandya, has admitted that he currently considers himself more like a "turtle" than a "rabbit" as a bowler but he is eager to ramp up his bowling workload in order to prepare for the upcoming World Cup at home in October and November.

In recent times, Pandya's bowling has been limited in international cricket due to his injuries. In the first ODI against the West Indies, he bowled three overs and managed to take one wicket, giving away 17 runs. In the second ODI on Saturday, he remained wicketless, conceding 38 runs from 6.4 overs.

Speaking at the post-match presentation ceremony after India's disappointing six-wicket loss in the second ODI, Pandya said that he is not rushing his preparations and remains hopeful that his efforts will pay off during the World Cup.

"My body is fine. I have to bowl more overs and get my workload up for the World Cup. I’m a turtle right now not the rabbit and hoping everything goes right as the World Cup comes on," he said.

In an experimental move, India rested skipper Rohit Sharma and fellow experienced batter Virat Kohli for the second ODI and the move backfired as the Caribbean team cruised to an impressive win that squared the series at 1-1 on Saturday.

As the third and final game approaches on Tuesday, with the series currently tied at 1-1, Pandya said that the upcoming match would present both a challenge and excitement.

"To be honest, you want to be going 1-1 to the third game as it’ll be more challenging and exciting. They will be tested, we will be tested now that the series stands 1-1. The next game will be exciting for the viewers as well as the players," Pandya said.