India’s all-rounder Hardik Pandya has been forced to withdraw from the ODI World Cup due to an ankle injury sustained during a match against Bangladesh. To fill the void, fast bowler Prasidh Krishna has been called up to join the Indian squad. Krishna, who has limited international experience with only 19 white-ball appearances, last played against Australia just before the World Cup, where he took the prized wicket of David Warner and finished with figures of 1/45 from nine overs.
While Krishna has displayed promise in the past with 33 international wickets, he faces tough competition from the likes of Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, and Mohammed Siraj for a place in India’s pace attack. Pandya’s injury occurred when he twisted his left ankle while attempting to stop a shot in his follow-through, and he hasn’t been able to participate in subsequent matches against New Zealand, England, and Sri Lanka. Despite these setbacks, India has secured a semi-final spot with two more league games to go.
The Event Technical Committee has approved Krishna as Pandya’s replacement, making him eligible for selection in the crucial World Cup match against South Africa on Sunday. Currently, India and South Africa hold the top two positions in the World Cup standings, and the winner of Sunday’s match in Kolkata will have a significant advantage in finishing the group stage in first place.