Hardik Pandya ruled out of the World Cup | Cricket

Hardik Pandya has been ruled out of the rest of the World Cup due to an injury sustained during India’s seven-wicket win against Bangladesh in Pune last month. He injured his left ankle while stretching to stop a shot on his follow-through.

The India vice-captain missed the matches against England, New Zealand and Sri Lanka before the BCCI’s medical team at Bengaluru’s National Cricket Academy — he is undergoing rehabilitation there — ruled him out for the remainder of the tournament.

Fast bowler Prasidh Krishna, who too has returned after a long layoff due to a stress fracture of the back that required surgery, has replaced Pandya.

Pandya was playing a vital role as a bridge between the middle and lower-order batters while bowling at least five-six overs as the third seamer. “Tough to digest the fact that I will miss out on the remaining part of the World Cup,” Pandya posted on messaging platform X, (formerly Twitter). “I’ll be with the team in spirit, cheering them on every ball of every game. Thanks for all the wishes, the love, and the support has been incredible. This team is special and I’m sure we’ll make everyone proud.”

So emphatic has been India’s World Cup campaign so far that Pandya’s absence isn’t expected to peg them back. Only thrice in seven games has the lower order been called upon to bat, two of which were while batting first in matches India won by massive margins — 100 runs against England and 302 runs against Sri Lanka. Once Pandya was injured, India dropped Shardul Thakur and resorted to a more rigid line-up comprising six specialist batters, one all-rounder in Ravindra Jadeja and four specialist bowlers.

Suryakumar Yadav got another chance at cementing his place but scores of 2, 49 and 12 haven’t really justified his white-ball potential. But that has been the only glitch – if at all it can be called that — for India, who face South Africa at Eden Gardens on Sunday.

Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma aggregate more than 400 runs each and average well over 50, with Shubman Gill looking imperious as well. Pandya has batted as high as No. 4 in the past but with KL Rahul averaging 79 and even Shreyas Iyer starting to get going, Pandya’s absence has barely been felt.

Pandya’s injury also paved the way for the inclusion of Mohammad Shami, who has picked up 14 wickets in 22 overs at an average of 6.71 and economy of 4.27. With Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammad Siraj operating with the new ball and Shami coming in first change with a slightly older ball, India’s fast bowling has found a new direction that has made it more incisive. Proof of that came in the last match where Shami took five and the pacers collectively accounted for nine wickets in the demolition of Sri Lanka at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium.