Recently, Team India faced a huge setback. Vice-captain and leading all-rounder, Hardik Pandya, was announced out for the rest of the 2023 World Cup.
The reason? An ankle injury during a game against Bangladesh. After that, Hardik didn’t play for the Men in Blue. Reports initially said he’d recover quickly. But, his recovery timeline kept getting pushed back until news finally broke. His ligament damage was too severe, ruling him out of the remaining games.
India has quickly named a substitute, with Prasidh Krishna being called up. The youthful fast bowler, however, may not have been the best man for the job, with the hosts also having to address other voids in their roster as they aim to win cricket’s greatest prize.
Here are three reasons why Prasidh Krishna should not replace Hardik Pandya in India’s World Cup lineup in 2023.
1. Prasidh Krishna’s lack of match practice since injury
Prasidh Krishna was an important member of India’s One-Day International team before sustaining a long-term back ailment that kept him out for over a year. He has spoken about the struggle he went through while healing from the recurrent ailment, and he hasn’t played much for the club since his return earlier this year.
Prasidh played two T20Is against Ireland before appearing in India’s final two ODIs before the World Cup, against Bangladesh and Australia, respectively. He looked well in those matches, but he wasn’t put to the test in either rubber.
Prasidh did play for Karnataka in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, but bowling 10 overs in the highest-profile competition will be difficult. He also failed to take two or more wickets in four of the five matches he played for his state, and he failed to fulfill his four-over quota in two of those games.
In a competition like the World Cup, Prasidh must be at his greatest best, and there are questions about whether he is.
2. Shardul Thakur Ready To Step Up As India’s Fast-Bowling Reserve in World Cup
Hardik’s injury has already created an opening for a fast bowler other than Prasidh. Mohammed Shami snuck into the Indian XI at the cost of Shardul Thakur and hasn’t looked back since, with 14 wickets in three games and some electric moments.
This means Thakur has been demoted to the bench, where he will serve as a fast-bowling backup if the team requires one. After performing well in ODIs over the previous two years, the Mumbai-based player might be called up to the XI if any of the frontline fast bowlers require a rest or are suffering from niggles.
Is there a need for Prasidh to be part of the squad with a fast-bowling backup already present? He is a fantastic ODI bowler at his best, probably even better than Thakur overall, but India has only two matches left in the league stage and has already qualified for the knockouts.
1. India Lack All-Rounders In 2023 World Cup Squad
Prasidh excels in many things, but holding the bat is not one of them. He is a true No. 11 in most teams he plays for, and India should not anticipate many runs from him if he ever gets out into the middle.
India are definitely lacking in all-rounders, with Ravindra Jadeja already the lone multi-faceted player in the XI. If Jadeja is injured, the Men in Blue will have to play Ravichandran Ashwin at No. 7 and maybe Thakur to offer some more support.
Axar Patel, who was a key member of the side’s ODI preparations and was set to be included to the World Cup team until Ashwin’s selection, has been playing in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. He is likely suited for top-level activity, and while his compatibility with Jadeja is debatable, India may have benefited from having another all-round option.
