'Won't have the balance we were used to...': Dravid's honest reaction to Hardik Pandya's absence ahead of NZ clash

Rahul Dravid spoke in detail about Hardik Pandya's injury absence from the game against New Zealand.

Team India will be without the services of Hardik Pandya for its crucial group stage clash against New Zealand in Dharamsala on Sunday. Hardik faced an ankle injury while fielding off his own bowling during the side's last match against Bangladesh; while the extent of Hardik's injury wasn't revealed, a release from BCCI confirmed that the all-rounder would join the Indian team in Lucknow, the venue for India's match against England on October 29.

Rahul Dravid (L) speaks about Hardik Pandya's absence from the game against New Zealand (ICC/PTI)

Hardik's loss is naturally a setback for India, as the all-rounder had been key to India's bowling attack over the first three matches in the World Cup. India hadn't faced much difficulty in chasing targets across their opening three games, so much so that Hardik didn't need too bat in two; however, with Shardul being the only other option among pacers who can bat, India are left in a spot of bother as they face the Kiwis on Sunday. New Zealand are the only other side yet undefeated in the tournament, and India's head coach Rahul Dravid admitted that the team combination has suffered as a result of Hardik's injury.

“Yeah, obviously, he is an important player for us and an important all-rounder who helps us really balance our squad out really well. But he is going to miss this game, so we will have to work around that and see what is the best combination,” Dravid said in a press conference ahead of the match in Dharamsala.

"I mean, in the end, we have got to work with the 14 that we have got. Sometimes you do expect that this kind of thing can happen, so that's why you have got a squad. We will have to see what works best under these conditions and these wickets. But yeah, probably might not have the kind of balance that we probably used in the first four games," he added.

In absence of Hardik, India might incline towards playing either Suryakumar Yadav or Ishan Kishan in his place. Ishan took part in the first two matches as stand-in opener for an ill Shubman Gill; the youngster, however, has played multiple key knocks in the middle-order over the past few weeks, including in the Asia Cup.

Suryakumar, meanwhile, isn't a like-for-like replacement for Hardik but boasts enormous power-hitting skills at no.6. The batter scored two impressive half-centuries for the side in its last bilateral series before the World Cup against Australia, and will be in contention for a spot in the XI on Sunday.