Who said what - Top 3 expert reactions to Hardik Pandya's injury in the 2023 World Cup ft. Dinesh Karthik
India take on New Zealand in one of the most high-profile clashes in the ongoing ICC Men's ODI World Cup 2023 at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala on Sunday. Both teams are suffering from injuries to major players.
For New Zealand, skipper Kane Williamson will be missing. For the unversed, Williamson has a fractured thumb from being hit by a throw during his team's match against Bangladesh.
For India, all-rounder Hardik Pandya has been ruled out owing to an ankle injury he suffered while bowling against Bangladesh in Pune on Thursday.
Pandya's absence will add some uncertainty to an Indian side that has looked excellent in all three departments. He has provided a lot of balance to the team with both bat and ball and given them the freedom to explore options away from the tried and tested.
While it is a given that his absence has left India in the lurch, the Men in Blue will have to look for replacements. Mind you, no like-for-like replacements will be possible.
In this listicle, we bring to you the reactions to Pandya's injury by three experts of the game. Forgive us if they happen to be lifetime membership cardholders of that most unique of clubs in the game - wicketkeepers.
#1 Vijay Dahiya - "The position that India are in allows Pandya to take a longer break"
Vijay Dahiya, who played in two Tests and 19 ODIs for India, doesn't think Pandya's injury is that big of an issue for India, as of now.
The former Delhi wicketkeeper said that he felt at least two changes would be made to the Indian playing XI against New Zealand following Pandya's unavailability. These players, he felt, selected themselves.
"It did not look that good on the television, but fortunately, the reports have said that it is not that bad. This means that he may not be out for a very long period of time and India will be able to use his services after a while," Dahiya said to the news channel NDTV.
"In his absence, I foresee at least a couple of changes. Mohammed Shami should come in - that is an absolute given for me - and so should Suryakumar Yadav to fill in for the batsman that we are missing out during Hardik's absence. The position that India are in at the moment in the World Cup allows him to take a longer break if required," he added.
#2 Dinesh Karthik - "It is imperative that they take good care of him"
Another stumper on this list, Dinesh Karthik, a veteran cricketer and one of the finest commentators from India, erred on the side of caution. He said that India need to take good care of Hardik Pandya and not rush him back from injury.
Pandya is a valuable asset for the Men in Blue, felt Karthik, and said that they will have to make sure he is fit and ready when he comes back to the field.
DK also feels that it is a blessing for India that Pandya's injury comes ahead of the New Zealand game, where his absence will not hamper their chances much.
"I think India would have ideally wanted Hardik to be available for the game against New Zealand on Sunday, even though they can well afford to miss him. That's the game that they would have wanted to get their combinations right," Karthik said to Cricbuzz.
"The Indian team will be looking at the bigger picture, which is that he would be most important for them at the business end of the tournament. I think it is imperative that they take good care of him, even if that means he misses out for a few games," he added.
#3 Saba Karim - "Pandya's absence does throw India's plans off-balance"
Saba Karim, who played one Test and 34 ODIs for India, also tried to reassure the lay supporter that the Baroda all-rounder should be expected to be back on the field soon.
Karim, a former national selector and general manager of cricket operations for the BCCI in the past, did mention that Pandya's absence has thrown India in the lurch.
"There is a group of experts monitoring his every move, and I am sure that they will take good care of him. The initial scans do reveal that the injury is not as severe as it was made out to be at first, and this is really good news," Karim said to NDTV.
"However, Pandya's absence does throw India's plans off-balance somehow. They will now have to bring in a specialist batsman and leave out a bowler or vice-versa. It is not going to be easy for India without him, but they will manage and hope that he is back soon."