'Balance issues, fragility': Hayden discards India's Jadeja solution to Pandya puzzle ahead of New Zealand clash

Hardik Pandya has flown to Bengaluru to receive treatment at the NCA which means that India could be without their premier all-rounder for a long time.

India may have cruised to their fourth consecutive win on Thursday in the 2023 World Cup but they were handed a significant blow with premier all-rounder Hardik Pandya picking up an injury. Pandya could reportedly be flown to Bengaluru to receive treatment at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) and is ruled out of India's next fixture - a crucial match against table toppers New Zealand.

India may have beaten Bangladesh comprehensively but the injury to Pandya was a major blow for the hosts. (AP)

Pandya has been integral to the side as a third seamer in this tournament and while his services as a batter hasn't been needed thus far, the match against New Zealand is expected to be India's stiffest challenge yet and the hosts may have been much more comfortable knowing that he is batting in the lower middle order. With him ruled out, India may be forced to go in with either a specialist fast bowler in Mohammed Shami or a specialist batter in Suryakumar Yadav but neither can perform the dual role that Pandya has.

Former Australia star Matthew Hayden said that there really isn't anyone in the world who can replace Pandya. “He is that good an all-rounder at the moment, and when you think back into the history of the way he’s been performing, whenever he’s not playing for any team there is always a balance issue. He provides that great stability,” said Hayden on ESPNCricinfo.

'India have good batting cover'

Hayden said that India have good cover for Pandya in the batting lineup. He also asid that promoting Jadeja into his position instead of getting a specialist batter will make the Indian lineup more fragile. “The good thing for India is that they’ve got batting cover. Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan can easily slot into that role, and then you get your specialist seamer Mohammad Shami back into the side, so that also would be a very good side. I don’t think you can have Jadeja batting up the order, I feel that’s a fragility in the Indian batting line up. The best combination is to get a specialist batter in there, and that way then you have an option to pick a specialist seam bowler as well in Shami," he said.

India face New Zealand on Sunday in Dharamsala. Both sides are the only teams to have remained unbeaten in this year's tournament after four matches and are level on points. However, New Zealand are in the top spot instead of India on the basis of their superior net run rate. It means that the side who win this will consolidate their position at the top of the table.