When Will Hardik Pandya Return & Who Will He Replace In India 11 Once He Returns Fit?

Former India all-rounder and 1983 World Cup-winning hero, Madan Lal, emphasised the importance of having Pandya back in the team for the upcoming matches, especially in the knockout stages.

Hardik Pandya in action.

When star all-rounder Hardik Pandya makes his comeback from injury in the upcoming ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 matches, there will be a significant decision for captain Rohit Sharma and the team management to make. Pandya had suffered an injury to his ankle when he slipped in his follow-through while playing against Bangladesh in Pune on October 19. As a result, he missed the matches against New Zealand in Dharamsala and England in Lucknow.

During Pandya's absence, the Indian team made some adjustments to their lineup. They included Suryakumar Yadav and Mohammed Shami in the playing XI against New Zealand and England, and they managed to secure victories in both games, moving to the top of the table. Shami, who was on the bench for the first four matches, made a remarkable impact by taking five wickets against New Zealand, earning the 'Player of the Match' award, and grabbing four wickets in the next match against England. Suryakumar played an impressive innings under challenging conditions against England.

Former India all-rounder and 1983 World Cup-winning hero, Madan Lal, emphasised the importance of having Pandya back in the team for the upcoming matches, especially in the knockout stages. In an exclusive interview with The Times Of India (TOI), Madan stated, "India need Hardik Pandya in the team. We have five bowlers and all are talented and performing. Hardik gives you a sixth option as a bowler. He bats really well too. Over the years, he has learned a lot of things and has been a vital cog in the Indian setup."

Although the 30-year-old all-rounder is on the path to recovery and is expected to rejoin the squad in Mumbai ahead of India’s match against Sri Lanka on November 2, his actual availability for that game is still uncertain. So far in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023, Pandya has played four matches, scoring 11 runs with limited batting opportunities and taking five wickets.

Drawing from his own experience as an all-rounder in the historic 1983 World Cup, Madan Lal underscored the significance of Pandya's presence in achieving a balanced team. He said, "An allrounder makes a captain's life easy...We have seen Pandya performing on the big stage and he hasn't disappointed his captain. When I was playing in the 1983 World Cup, Kapil (Dev) paaji used me as a bowler and batsman too. I was also keen to perform and give results in both the departments.

An allrounder makes combinations easy. Rohit can go easily with five batsmen, five bowlers and one all-rounder, Pandya. So he then has one more batsman and one more bowler in Pandya.”

 Regarding the question of who should make way for Pandya's return to the playing eleven, Madan suggested that Shreyas Iyer should be the one to sit out. He mentioned, "If someone has to sit out, once Hardik is back, it should be Shreyas Iyer...He hasn't been impressive in the tournament. The way he is getting out to short-pitched balls is terrible. You can't play such shots. He has to sort out his own problems first...Suryakumar can come in at number five and Hardik at number six. KL (Rahul) can come in at number four then. This is the simple way to go forward."

After Pandya's injury against Bangladesh, the team turned to Shami's bowling expertise, which turned out to be a boon for the team. Shami, in just two matches since replacing Pandya, took nine wickets.

Madan Lal emphasised Shami's stature as the number one bowler, highlighting that captains initially opt for an extra batsman when the tournament begins. Shami, along with Jasprit Bumrah and Siraj, forms a formidable bowling combination.

"He is still the number one bowler. When the tournament starts, a captain is always keen to play one extra batsman. Shami is a world-class bowler. Siraj is there too, and he is playing because he has that X factor in him. You need a bowler who can intimidate a batsman...You can't control the flow of runs. To do that, you will have to take wickets. Shami has done that in this World Cup. Jasprit Bumrah, Shami, Siraj is a lethal combination at the moment," he stated.