ICC World Cup 2019: ICC officially approves Rishabh Pant as Shikhar Dhawan’s replacement

Shikhar Dhawan was ruled of the ICC Cricket World Cup after he failed to recover from a thumb injury.

Shikhar Dhawan was formally ruled out of the World Cup on Wednesday, exactly 10 days after the Indian opener was hit on his left hand by a Pat Cummins delivery during India’s match against Australia. Rishabh Pant, who was immediately brought to England as a back-up while the Indian team management waited thumb and foot on Dhawan to recover, has now been named as Dhawan’s replacement in India’s 15-man squad.

India's Rishabh Pant shares a light moment with a teammate during a training session(AP)

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has confirmed that the Event Technical Committee of the Men’s Cricket World Cup 2019 has approved Rishabh Pant as a replacement player for Shikhar Dhawan in India’s squad for the remainder of the tournament, a statement from the global body said. What perhaps prompted the team management to finally make an annoucement on Dhawan’s injury was the fact that even Bhuvneshwar Kumar is injured.

Watch | Injured Shikhar Dhawan ruled out of World Cup, Rishabh Pant replaces him 

 

India would have had only 13 players to select from in the Afghanistan game on June 22 if Pant was not brought in as a replacement. Bhuvneshwar is out of three matches with a hamstring niggle. “Bhuvneshwar is being assessed by team physio Patrick Farhart,” team’s trainer Shankar Basu said.

The Indian team was found in groups of threes and fours and discussing the loss of Dhawan minutes before the announcement was made, while Dhawan himself was in the balcony of the dressing room, a white cast wrapped around his left hand and his right hand pressing a phone to his ear. Despite the cast, Dhawan had carried drinks for the team in the Pakistan game in Manchester, and that sadly will be his last involvement with the side at this World Cup.