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Hardik Pandya (Source: Twitter)
India's prominent all-rounder, Hardik Pandya is expected to continue his spell on the sidelines for several more games after sustaining an ankle injury last week. Having already sat out of the New Zealand match due to the same injury, it's reported that he's likely to miss the next two World Cup matches as he's still in the process of recovery. The injury occurred when Pandya slipped during his follow-through while playing against Bangladesh in Pune on October 19 in the ODI World Cup 2023.
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Consequently, he was absent from the New Zealand game in Dharamsala on October 22. Pandya, who hails from Baroda, reported to the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru on Monday for injury management. While the Indian Cricket Board (ICB) initially indicated he might travel to Lucknow for India's upcoming match against England, this now appears to be an impractical option.
"Hardik is still under medication. While the swelling on his left ankle has subsided considerably, he will start bowling only towards the weekend. Right now, important is to give him time to recover," an NCA source told PTI as reported by NDTV Sports.
Pandya has suffered a bad sprain: ICB source
As India is in a commanding position, having won all five of their matches and likely to secure a spot in the semifinals, it makes sense to consider resting Pandya for the next two matches. This would provide him with ample time to fully recover before the crucial knockout stage.
"Pandya has suffered a bad sprain but fortunately not a fracture. The medical team wants to take maximum precautions. He is likely to miss the next two to three matches. The team wants him fully fit for the knock-out stage," added an ICB source.
India's upcoming matches include a clash with defending champions England on October 29 in Lucknow and a face-off with Sri Lanka in Mumbai on November 2. With Pandya unavailable, Suryakumar Yadav and Mohammed Shami had the opportunity to feature in the playing XI against New Zealand. Surya and Shami will probably continue to hold their positions in the team for the match against England.