Suryakumar’s injury, Ishan bitten by honey-bee: Will India be forced to make super late changes to XI vs New Zealand?
It had been a rather bizarre training session for Team India on the eve of their crucial World Cup encounter against New Zealand. Before India’s evening session in Dharamsala, Rahul Dravid had hinted that Suryakumar Yadav would likely fill the middle-order batting role in the absence of Hardik Pandya. However, later in the evening, Dravid had cause for concern as Suryakumar Yadav suffered a painful blow to his right forearm. Suryakumar, who was slated to make his World Cup debut and bat at No. 6 against New Zealand, was struck just above his right wrist by a throwdown from Raghavendra.
Suryakumar Yadav comes out of the nets after getting injured during a practice session ahead of the World Cup 2023 match between India and New Zealand(PTI)
He had to leave the nets due to the pain and received treatment with an ice pack. There were no plans for a precautionary X-Ray, as he is reportedly in stable condition. However, to add to India’s woes, Ishan Kishan, the only other batter in the 15-member squad, had to cut his net session short after being stung by a honey bee. On top of this, Hardik Pandya is still recovering from a left ankle injury sustained while bowling in the previous match against Bangladesh in Pune and is being monitored by the BCCI medical team at the National Cricket Academy.
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Also read: ‘Won’t have the balance we were used to…’: Dravid’s honest reaction to Hardik Pandya’s absence ahead of NZ clash
Dring the press conference, the coach hinted that there’s a choice to be made between Suryakumar Yadav and Ishan Kishan for Hardik’s role; however, one statement strongly favored Suryakumar’s chances, as Dravid deemed him more suitable as a finisher.
“I mean, it is nice to have Ishan. And he’s been playing well. He’s a left-hander. If you are looking for someone a little bit higher up the order, then maybe we might go with Ishan.”
Given that Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, and KL Rahul have already secured their slots, it’s unlikely that Kishan will fit at No. 6, according to Dravid’s statement. But with Suryakumar being hit on his forearm and the speculations over his fitness, India might be forced to play Ishan – if he feels healthy enough to take the field following the bee-sting.
Shami in?
The possibility of Mohammed Shami entering the XI became evident when Dravid mentioned that Shardul was considered the fourth seamer in the squad. Although Dravid did not dive into too much details on playing XI, he suggested that Shami – as well as Ravichandran Ashwin – could be a viable option.
“Obviously, the three seamers, having someone like Shami sitting out there and bringing him in this game is a great option. In some cases, there is Ashwin who has obviously been sitting out, who has great quality as well. So, there are two or three combinations we could use considering this till Hardik gets back,” he added.
Will practice session force late changes?
If Suryakumar Yadav fails to recover from his forearm injury in time, it could potentially lead to Ishan Kishan, the last recognized batter in the Indian squad, automatically filling the number 6 position in the batting order. Even in this scenario, Mohammad Shami would have a better chance of playing than Shardul Thakur, as India would require their five main bowlers in the absence of Hardik Pandya, who was ahead of Shardul in the pecking order.
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However, if Ishan Kishan also remains unavailable, India will have no choice but to include Shardul Thakur at number 7, while promoting Ravindra Jadeja to the sixth spot. This would give India six bowling options but make the batting lineup relatively weaker, increasing pressure on the Indian batting order.
