ODI World Cup 2023: The top two teams of the points table will have a clash against each other in the 21st match of this year's ODI World Cup 2023.
The match between IND Vs NZ will be played at Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) Stadium in Dharamshala tomorrow, Sunday, 22nd October 2023.
India has won four in four matches in this edition of the ODI World Cup 2023. But now the real challenge will start for the men in the blue side.
Rohit and Co will face a team against whom they have not won a single encounter in the ICC events after 2003 fifty over tournament which was played in South Africa.
India's premiere fast bowling all-rounder Hardik Pandya will miss the game against New Zealand on Sunday because of his ankle injury which he sustained in the game versus the Bangladeshi side which the men in blue side won in Pune.
Today we will name the three likely players from the Indian Cricket Team who can replace Hardik Pandya in the playing eleven of the men in blue side for the ODI World Cup 2023 clash against New Zealand -
India's ace spin bowler, Ravichandran Ashwin is a legend in the red ball format. Ash was also in India's playing eleven when India won the 2011 ODI World Cup and 2013 ICC Champions Trophy. Ashwin has played just one match in this ODI World Cup 2023.
That game was played against the Aussies which India won on his home ground in Chennai. Ash picked up only one wicket which was of Cameron Green.
If India includes Ashwin, then he can provide that depth in the batting and his spin bowling will also be a handful on that wicket.
Mohammed Shami is the main stray of this Indian team in the ODI World Cup 2023. But having said that, he has not got any chances up till now in this fifty-overs competition. Shami can partner Siraj and Boom Boom Bumrah with the new ball.
He can also make good use of the older ball as well in the middle overs and at the backend overs. But one issue with Shami is that he cannot provide the batting depth like Ashwin.
That's the only concern and the team management will have to also decide whether they need an extra pace bowling option or not.
India's number one batter in the shortest format of the game needs to replicate that success in the one day international format. But Suryakumar Yadav has failed to do in this fifty overs format and still he is in this team of the ODI World Cup 2023.
SKY can be the last choice to replace Hardik Pandya in the game against New Zealand tomorrow. That will be a like for like replacement especially in the batting perspective. Surya can hit the ball long way in the final overs which could boost India's chances.
But Yadav ji cannot contribute with the ball and his batting explosives can be seen only in the last few overs of an ODI match. That is why, Ravichandran Ashwin might be the front-runner to replace Pandya in tomorrow's clash in Dharamshala.