Hardik Pandya Ruled Out of Cricket World Cup, Prasidh Krishna Joins

India’s campaign in the ongoing Cricket World Cup has been dealt a significant blow as star all-rounder Hardik Pandya has been ruled out of the tournament. 

The 30-year-old sustained a left ankle injury while bowling during India’s match against Bangladesh in Pune.

Failed Recovery Leads to Replacement:

Despite efforts to recover in time, Hardik Pandya could not regain full fitness for the remainder of the World Cup. The International Cricket Council (ICC) confirmed his withdrawal through a press release.

To fill the void left by Pandya, fast bowler Prasidh Krishna has been included in India’s squad. The tournament’s event technical committee approved Krishna’s addition to the playing group.

Prasidh Krishna’s Cricket Background:

Prasidh Krishna, with 19 white-ball appearances for India, is relatively inexperienced internationally. 

He last featured against Australia just before the World Cup, where he took the crucial wicket of David Warner while conceding 1/45 in nine overs.

Krishna’s inclusion means he will compete for a place in India’s pace attack with established bowlers like Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, and Mohammed Siraj. 

The match for spots in the playing XI is expected to be intense.

Immediate Availability for Selection:

With the approval of India’s replacement player, Prasidh Krishna is eligible for selection in the crucial World Cup match against South Africa on Sunday.

India and South Africa hold the top two positions in the World Cup standings. The outcome of their upcoming match in Kolkata will determine the leader of the group stage, with the winner in pole position to finish first in the standings.

India’s Updated World Cup Squad:

Following Hardik Pandya’s withdrawal, India’s revised squad for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 includes captain Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Prasidh Krishna, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ishan Kishan, and Suryakumar Yadav.