Who Will Be Dropped Following Hardik Pandya's Return ?
As per the latest reports Hardik Pandya is likely to return around semi finals and his return will also depend on form of few players.
The management of the Indian cricket team will be faced with a significant challenge once star all-rounder Hardik Pandya is eligible to participate in the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023. Recent reports indicate that Shreyas Iyer's World Cup performances make it unlikely that his spot will be secured.
Since sustaining the ankle injury while bowling against Bangladesh earlier in the competition, the all-rounder has not participated in a single match. In the contests against New Zealand and England, Team India performed without Hardik Pandya. During his absence, India also dismissed Shardul Thakur in order to accommodate a batsman and a specialist bowler.
Mohammed Shami and Suryakumar Yadav were both selected in the playing eleven and have made the most of the opportunity. Contrary to Shami's five wickets against New Zealand and four wickets against England, Suryakumar's 49 runs in challenging conditions against England were crucial.
Shreyas Iyer likely to be dropped for Hardik
Given the success of both Shami and Suryakumar, it will be difficult to eliminate either of them. In light of his extraordinary performances, recent media reports indicate that Shami is now expected to participate in all remaining World Cup matches. Furthermore, Suryakumar has substantiated his position with considerable support.
And while time will tell who makes way for the all-rounder Hardik Pandya, OneCricket reports that the batsman Shreyas Iyer is likely to be axed from the playing eleven. Although the designated number four for India has amassed fifty runs during the World Cup, his lack of success under duress has generated considerable concern.
As a result of India's dismal start, he was dismissed for duck in the World Cup opener against Australia, and he managed only four against England. The report indicates that if the right-handed batsman perform poorly in the upcoming match against Sri Lanka, he is likely to be dropped. Suryakumar will presumably bat at number four in his absence.
In the interim, it has been reported that Hardik Pandya will accompany Team India to Bengaluru for their match against the Netherlands. Presently, the all-rounder is a member of the NCA in Bengaluru.