Team India announced fast bowler Prasidh Krishna as a substitute for the injured Hardik Pandya before of their high-octane 2023 World Cup group-stage match against South Africa.
Hardik, benched due to an ankle injury in the Bangladesh match, was hoped to rejoin later in the tournament. Now, he can’t. The vice-captain, our team key player, won’t play and we’ll feel it. Although, currently India’s record is unblemished.
Hardik’s injury hits hard, not a first for the Men in Blue in the spotlight ICC event. Here’s a trio of times an injury jolted India’s World Cup ODI journey.
3. Dilip Vengsarkar in the 1983 World Cup
The 1983 World Cup victory is inscribed in Indian cricket history, however Dilip Vengsarkar did not play in the tournament’s final stages.
Vengsarkar was hit by a Malcolm Marshall bouncer in the 14th match of the competition against West Indies, just as he and Mohinder Amarnath appeared to be forming a partnership. The batter was forced to retire injured as India lost the match from a good position and did not play the rest of the World Cup.
Despite missing one of their major players, Kapil Dev and his team pulled off a historic shock by defeating the Windies in the final.
2. Ashish Nehra in the 2011 World Cup
India seized victory in the 2011 World Cup – another feather in their cap. Their opponent in the final match was Sri Lanka, which took place at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. One key member that the Men in Blue had to play without was Ashish Nehra. A broken finger sidelined him from the big game.
S Sreesanth took Nehra’s spot in India’s squad, but the fast bowler failed to impress on such short notice. He was the hosts’ most costly bowler on the night, allowing 52 runs in eight overs.
Nehra, who was outstanding in the semifinal victory against Pakistan, was greatly missed in the final. Again, despite the absence of a significant player, India advanced to the finals of cricket’s most prestigious event.
1. Shikhar Dhawan in the 2019 World Cup
The sole item on this list that did not go as planned for Team India was the 2019 World Cup. Despite dominating for the most of the league stage, Virat Kohli and his team were defeated in the semifinals by New Zealand.
One of the reasons for their semifinal demise was their top order’s poor performance, with three wickets going India’s top order didn’t do well in the semifinals, causing them to lose. Their main opener, Shikhar Dhawan, had to stop playing after only two games due to a broken thumb.
Dhawan started the World Cup strong, and he’s known for playing great in ICC events. His missing from the team hurt India. KL Rahul tried his best on top, but Dhawan might have had a greater effect if he hadn’t been injured.
