The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has confirmed that Hardik Pandya, India’s vice-captain and fast-bowling all-rounder, will not travel with the team to Dharamshala for their upcoming match against New Zealand due to a left ankle injury.
Pandya sustained this injury during India’s fourth league match in the 2023 Men’s ODI World Cup against Bangladesh at Pune’s MCA Stadium. He limped off the field while fielding on his own bowling and was unable to continue participating in the game.
As a result of this injury, Pandya will miss India’s upcoming clash against New Zealand at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamshala. The BCCI released a medical update, stating, “The all-rounder underwent scans and has been advised to rest. He will remain under the continuous care of the BCCI Medical Team.”
The BCCI also noted that Pandya will rejoin the Indian team in Lucknow for the match against defending champions England on October 29. The injury occurred when Pandya attempted to prevent a boundary hit by Litton Das during the ninth over in Pune. While trying to save the boundary, he twisted his left ankle during his follow-through and slipped in the process.
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The Indian team physiotherapist rushed to attend to Pandya’s left ankle, with Virat Kohli and captain Rohit Sharma providing support. Despite his attempts to continue bowling, he was unable to do so due to the pain in his strapped left ankle and had to leave the field for further treatment.
Pandya has played a crucial role for India in white-ball cricket, offering invaluable all-round abilities, both with the bat in the top six and as the third fast-bowling option in the team. He had taken five wickets in the tournament before the ankle injury occurred.
With Pandya absent from the New Zealand match, India faces the challenge of covering his versatile skills. While Shardul Thakur is a fast-bowling all-rounder, he is not a direct replacement for Pandya. India might consider having Thakur fulfill Pandya’s role with both bat and ball, or they could bring in a specialist batter while operating with just five bowlers during their innings.
Another option could involve selecting a specialist batter and bowler respectively while leaving out Thakur. Despite the absence of Pandya, India remains unbeaten in the Men’s ODI World Cup, having won all four of their matches. They are set to face New Zealand, the only other unbeaten team in the competition.
