Players who can replace Hardik Pandya in India’s T20 World Cup

If Hardik Pandya is not 100% fit, then the team management and the Selectors should go with any other option as it will give the team more balance. With his all-around ability, Pandya used to bring a great balance to the Indian side but after his back surgery, he has been bowling on rare occasions. If we go with the fact, he hasn’t bowled in IPL since 2019. Now Management looking for Players who can replace Hardik Pandya.

Hardik Pandya’s bowling plays a crucial role for Team India as the team will have just three proper pace options + Hardik Pandya. And if we look at the form of Bhuvneshwar, who is one of the three pacers then we can see that his speed and ability to move the ball have decreased. So you need to have the option open where Hardik can bowl and provide his contribution.

We all know how dangerous could be Hardik as a pure batter but this time he hasn’t fired much with the bat as well. In the Sri Lanka tour, Pandya could only score a 9 and a duck in the two ODIs and a 12-ball 10 in the only T20I he played. He had a forgettable first leg of IPL 2021 and almost the same is happening on the UAE leg as well. In the total 10 matches, he has played this season, he has managed to score just 112 runs at an average of 14. Taking out the 40 not out he scored against Punjab, there is nothing for him to impress someone with.

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These three Players who can replace Hardik Pandya

 • Shardul Thakur

Shardul Thakur is one of the most improved cricketers after Australia’s tour last year. Thakur has not only performed well as an all-rounder in the longest format but did very well against England earlier this year in T20I where his knack for taking crucial wickets and providing key breakthroughs to his team. Shardul has been performing consistently for the national side as well as his IPL franchise CSK.
He will be traveling with the team as a reserve player who can be drafted in the main squad. He is a great option to replace Hardik Pandya in the T20 World Cup squad.

 • Deepak Chahar

We all have seen the ability of Deepak Chahar with the new ball. He could be a deadly swing bowler if the pitch offers something in it. His ability to swing the ball both ways separates him from the rest of the bowlers. He didn’t get much opportunity to perform as a batter but whenever he got the opportunity to bat he has grabbed with both hands.

He put into display his batting ability earlier this year when he played a match-winning knock of 69 runs against Sri Lanka. Chahar surely has the potential to perform on the big stage as he has done for CSK as well and if given the opportunity he can take up the all-rounder’s role. He will also be traveling with the team as a reserve player who can be drafted in the main squad.

 • Venkatesh Iyer

Iyer has been the find of the second phase of the IPL 2021. He has managed to impress everyone with his batting and bowling abilities in a very short period of time. In the five IPL matches he has played so far, he has scored 193 runs at an average of 48.25. His strike rate of 141.91 speaks volumes as to what he can do with the bat.

He has also managed to get the big wicket of KL Rahul the other night where he almost pulled the match by his bowling for KKR. Iyer has grabbed 3 wickets so far in the tournament. He has an outside chance to get his place in the squad as a replacement of Hardik Pandya.