With the Indian cricket team set to face New Zealand in Dharamshala on October 22, captain Rohit Sharma finds himself in a challenging situation due to an ankle injury sidelining all-rounder Hardik Pandya during the match against Bangladesh.
Hardik will miss the upcoming New Zealand match and head to the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru for treatment. The critical question now is, who will step in to replace the key player in the starting lineup?
Rohit has two potential solutions at his disposal, and the choice hinges on whether he aims to fortify the team’s batting or bolster the bowling attack.
Suryakumar Yadav
Should Rohit prioritize batting strength, Suryakumar Yadav emerges as a candidate to replace Hardik and occupy the No.6 spot in the batting order. However, this decision comes with a trade-off, leaving India with only five bowling options.
Ravichandran Ashwin
On the other hand, if Rohit seeks reliability in the bowling department, veteran cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin could be the chosen one. Ashwin not only offers his proficient off-spin skills but also contributes effectively with the bat. This choice would provide Rohit with six viable bowling options.
The India vs New Zealand match in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 will be played on the 22nd of October at Dharamshala in in Himachal Pradesh. This will be a crucial match between both the teams as both the only 2 teams in the tournament who are currently undefeated. New Zealand have always done a brilliant work in the ICC tournaments and if India wants to win their home World Cup, New Zealand is their biggest hurdle.
