Sans Hardik, it's starting all over again for dominant India
Hardik Pandya, a frighteningly dominant India's World Cup campaign will start all over again with Sunday's blockbuster clash against an ambitious New Zealand. A freak ankle injury had ruled Pandya out of the big game against the Kiwis who are eyeing their maiden triumph, even as the hosts desperately look to break their long trophy jinx in ICC tournaments.
With the flamboyant all-rounder not in picture, India have been forced to disturb a combination that has brought them four convincing wins on the trot, leaving the opponents worried and exploring ways to stop the rampaging hosts.
Against the New Zealanders, the Indians will take to the field after having done a bit of rejigging of their combination and re-evaluation of strategies.
Pandya's injury has disturbed the balance of the side as India doesn't have a like-for-like replacement for him. These thoughts must have crossed the minds of the men who matter the moment Pandya sustained the injury to his left ankle while trying to stop the ball on his follow-through during their match against Bangladesh in Pune.
The star all-rounder has been advised rest and hasn't travel to Dharamsala. Currently under the assessment of the BCCI medical team, Pandya is expected to join the squad in Lucknow before the match against England next week.
In the current scenario, seamer Mohammed Shami, who hasn't played a match so far in the World Cup, is a certainty in the playing XI as the pitch here is expected to favour the fast bowlers to some extent.
And to bolster the batting, Suryakumar Yadav instantly comes into the mix. But it remains to be seen who is the other player India would replace in their bid to get the balance right.
Given the situation, the mediocre Shardul Thakur
