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A day before their most crucial league game, against South Africa in Kolkata, India were handed a blow as allrounder Hardik Pandya got ruled out of the remainder of the 2023 World Cup owing to the ankle injury he suffered against Bangladesh on October 19. And while the development should have raised concerns aplenty among the experts, on India’s team balance and probable playing XI in the clash of the table toppers at the Eden Gardens, cricket experts were rather unfazed.
India lost Hardik to an injury in their fourth match of the round-robin stage of the tournament. Until then, Hardik was probably the most crucial player in the playing XI, even more than the captain himself, owing to the balance he brought to the line-up with his improved batting, but more so for his bowling, which gave India the freedom to rotate their attack as well for different conditions. And while his absence should have affected India, probably exposed them in the remainder of the matches, the team surprisingly emerged as a better unit. They won their next three games in emphatic fashion to qualify for the semis for the fourth successive time in World Cups.
Speaking to Star Sports on Saturday ahead of Pakistan’s do-or-die game against New Zealand, former Black Caps cricketer Simon Doull admitted that while Hardik’s absence would lead to India changing their approach, which he witnessed in the match against Sri Lanka as well with the middle-order batting “conservatively”, they can make it up with the “best ever bowling attack in World Cup history”.
“I do feel for Hardik Pandya. He is such a crucial part of the Indian side but has been down with injuries time and time again. It is a shame to miss a home World Cup because it doesn’t come around that often and he will be bitterly disappointed. From a team point of view, those five bowlers that they have been using will be the five bowlers that they are going to get through this tournament. It slightly shortens their batting line-up, but what I saw the other day was that they play a little more conservatively which I don’t mind through that middle period. Rohit Sharma is still going to get them off to a flying start. He has been playing a bit of selfless cricket. It changes a bit on how they play a bit because they don’t have that security of an extra bowler. But these five bowlers, I’m not sure if I have seen a better bowling attack in World Cup cricket from any side, anywhere, at any time in the tournament,” he said.
Matthew Hayden, who was part of the discussion as well, summed up Doull’s words as “India are fine” which left them in splits. The Australia legend was in fact all praise for Mohammed Shami, who was on the bench for the initial four World Cup games and was included after Hardik’s injury. The veteran pacer has emerged as a World Cup hero for India with 14 wickets in just three matches which includes two five-wicket hauls.
“Doull is basically saying they are fine, thank you very much. Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer coming back to form gives Rohit Sharma a bit more certainty. But I think they are fine. Shami is so good at the moment now…can you believe that spell. Yes Sri Lanka had an off day but that spell was superb. The skill set reminds me of Malcom Marshall. He used to just run in and kiss the deck and manipulate the seam in certain direction, he was a master,” he said.
Former Pakistan cricketer Ramiz Raja spoke much on the same lines. While he pointed out that besides his all-round abilities India will also miss his vice-captaincy, Raja admitted that India do have a “formidable attack”, likening it to the 1980s bowling line-up of the West Indies.
“Hardik Pandya vice captaincy will also not be available for the Indian team, but they are a formidable unit. Shami…from the bench to where he is now, it just shows the ability of this Indian team. Shami, Bumrah, Siraj, all can bowl with the new ball. I actually compare them with the Windies of the 80s. Relentless pressure and deadly dangerous,” he said.
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