During India’s 2023 World Cup match against Bangladesh, Hardik Pandya sustained an injury. He injured himself while attempting to intercept a hit off his own bowling at Pune’s MCA Stadium. Pandya has a Grade 1 ligament damage, according to TOI.
We’re not entirely sure if Hardik Pandya has been excluded from the 2023 World Cup. However, he did sit out the game against New Zealand in Dharamsala, and it seems he may also miss the upcoming matches against England and Sri Lanka.
India’s equilibrium will surely feel the pinch with Hardik Pandya missing in action. However, if he were to be ruled out from the tournament, here are three promising players who could potentially step into his shoes on the Indian squad.
1. Axar Patel
India’s initial World Cup lineup for 2023 included Axar Patel. But in the Asia Cup 2023, the all-around player had an injury at the last minute that prevented him from playing in the first few World Cup games. He was removed from the team by the selectors, who therefore selected Ravichandran Ashwin to take his position.
Patel was one of India’s main all-rounders in ODIs before the 2023 World Cup. While he does not bowl pace like Hardik Pandya, Patel is a reliable left-arm spinner and a game-changer with the bat. He can take Pandya’s place in the squad.
Patel’s addition, on the other hand, will oblige the team management to deploy three left-arm spin alternatives in the starting XI. Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja are frequent team members. Patel will be the third left-arm spin option if he replaces Pandya.
2. Sanju Samson
Sanju Samson was named to India’s reserve squad for the Asia Cup 2023. Samson, unlike Pandya, is not a pace-bowling all-rounder, but he can bat at number six for the squad. He’s also a fantastic fielder.
Perhaps India can select Shardul Thakur as their primary pace-bowling all-rounder and Sanju Samson as an additional batter. Samson may even keep the wickets if necessary.
Samson has an outstanding ODI record for India. He’s played 12 innings and scored 390 runs at a rate of more than 55. Samson can produce for India in high-pressure circumstances, according to his extensive IPL experience.
3. Vijay Shankar
Hardik Pandya’s Gujarat Titans colleague Vijay Shankar, who was in top form during IPL 2023, is a wildcard candidate for this slot. Shankar middled the ball effectively in the IPL and scored some spectacular runs for GT.
In previous World Cups, the all-round player has played for India. Even though Shankar hasn’t participated in an ODI for India since the World Cup in 2019, he can rejoin the team to take Hardik’s spot and fill the role of a fast-bowling all-rounder.
While Vijay Shankar doesn’t have Pandya’s speed, he still has the ability to take wickets. In one-day international cricket, he has an economy rate of 5.40 and a bowling strike rate of 58.2.
