India is gearing up for a significant showdown against South Africa in the ongoing ICC Cricket World Cup 2023. This crucial match is scheduled to take place at Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Sunday, November 5th. However, there’s some unfortunate news as Hardik Pandya, who got injured during the India vs. Bangladesh game in Pune, won’t be able to participate in the remainder of the tournament. The good news is that Prasidh Krishna has been named as his replacement.
During a pre-match press conference, India’s head coach, Rahul Dravid, shed light on why Prasidh Krishna was selected as a replacement for the injured Hardik Pandya. He stressed that the choice of Prasidh was driven by the need to bolster India’s pace-bowling options, given the absence of a suitable backup player in that specific area. As the head coach of India, Dravid also highlighted the exceptional quality of their top seven batsmen as a pivotal factor in their decision-making process.
The reporter curiously inquired, “Just wanted to know the thought process behind picking Prasidh Krishna as Hardik’s replacement because you have the option of picking someone like Tilak Verma… If you can explain the thought process.”
When asked about the selection of Prasidh Krishna over someone like Tilak Verma to replace Hardik Pandya, Rahul Dravid provided a clear and simple explanation. He emphasized the fact that Hardik Pandya’s recent struggles with injuries, which led to him missing numerous games, had compelled the team to adopt a specific playing strategy. As a result, they had settled on a combination of three fast bowlers and two spinners.
Dravid responded by saying, “ I think it’s a pretty obvious thought process. After Hardik has been injured, which he has been for the last two or three games, and then obviously didn’t play a couple of the games in the Australia series as well. We have played with a combination which has been three fast bowlers and two spinners.”
Dravid also pointed out that the club has contingencies in place for both spin and batting in their lineup. However, they acknowledged a major void in the all-rounder and pace-bowling areas that needed to be filled. The decision to bring in Krishna as a replacement for Pandya not only retains their distinct playing style but also allows better flexibility in addressing injuries, sickness, or small setbacks. Dravid highlighted that while they’re open to exploring various combinations, it was necessary to address the potential hole caused by Hardik Pandya’s injury within their selected team dynamics.
Also Read: Hardik Pandya Shares An Emotional Post After Getting Ruled Out Of World Cup 2023
“And yeah, in our reserves, in the guys sitting outside in the 15, we had a backup for the spin. We had a backup for the spin, we had a backup for the batting, and we had a backup in the bowling all around the category. So, we did recognize that if this is a combination we’re going to take, and if there is an issue of an illness, or a small niggle, or an injury, then we need to have a backup for that. It also allows us to play other combinations. It doesn’t mean that we can’t play other combinations. But if this is the one combination that which we have gone with recently, then yeah, that is the one area which we possibly hadn’t backed up with the injury to Hardik Pandya.” Dravid further added.
The upcoming showdown between these two top teams carries immense significance, primarily due to South Africa’s leading net run rate in the tournament, which stands at an impressive +2.290. In contrast, India’s net run rate is just a tad lower at +2.102. The result of this match has the potential to trigger a notable change in the rankings.
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