India’s wicketkeeper-batsman KL Rahul has said that all-rounder Hardik Pandya will not be available for the match against defending champions England in Lucknow. The 30-year-old injured his ankle while bowling against Bangladesh and will be ruled out of the match against New Zealand.
The Indian team also expressed reluctance to bring him back into the team. It also remains unclear whether the Baroda all-rounder will be available for the upcoming games against Sri Lanka and South Africa. Hardik was prone to injuries throughout his career, which disappointed him and the team management.
At the pre-match press conference, KL Rahul said that Hardik Pandya is an important member of the Indian team and it would be very disappointing to miss him in a big match like the match against England. Yes, he said he feels the following. It is like giving Suryakumar Yadav an opportunity to perform for the team on a bigger stage.
“Hardik has been a very important member of the team. He is there and plays a very important role for the team.” Therefore, his absence is a small failure for the team. There is also. But what happened is unfortunate,” KL Rahul added.
“At some point, we have to look at the current situation and see that he is not available for this match. Surya will probably get a chance and we will see what Surya can do. We know. So till Hardik comes back, we have faith in Surya,” KL Rahul added.
In the World Cup match against Kiwis, Suryakumar started in place of Pandya, but failed to make an impact as he was sent off for a run-out. With Pandya not expected to be fit for the match against England, Suryakumar Yadav will be given another chance to perform well in the ODI World Cup.
It Will Be A Good Challenge For Us To Just See How To Pace The Innings – KL Rahul
India are currently winners of the 2023 Cricket World Cup, but KL Rahul believes it is important to get the opportunity to bat first before the knockout stage. India came second in each of his first five matches and won all five matches comfortably.
“If we can take the lead before the next stage, it will be a big opportunity.” If we can take the lead in the next four games, it will be a good challenge to figure out how to hit. The pace was close in the innings and it has been a while since we batted first,” KL Rahul further added.
Team India should be one of the favorites to win the upcoming World Cup in India given their strong squad and ability to perform well at home. In 2011, India won the first ODI World Cup in Asia by defeating Sri Lanka in the championship match. The Men in Blue are aiming to repeat that success in the ongoing main event.
