In Hardik Pandya’s absence, Harbhajan wants India to play Suryakumar Yadav and Mohammed Shami in their match against New Zealand.
On Sunday, October 22, the two table-toppers will square off in Dharamsala. Hardik, who twisted his left ankle against Bangladesh, has been ruled out of the game and is being evaluated at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru.
Harbhajan Singh wants India to include Suryakumar Yadav and Mohammed Shami
During a discussion on Star Sports, Harbhajan was asked who should replace Hardik in the Indian XI, to which he responded:
“Suryakumar Yadav for me. I feel he should be straightaway brought in. Play Mohammed Shami in place of Shardul (Thakur) because then you get five proper bowlers. You feel Hardik Pandya needs to bowl three-four overs because Shadul might not be able to bowl his full quota of overs.“
Shami, unlike Shardul Thakur, is expected to bowl his complete quota of overs, according to the former India spinner. He stated,” However, if Shami plays, he will bowl his 10 overs for sure. (Jasprit) Bumrah and (Mohammed) Siraj will also bowl their 10 overs. And both your spinners are bowling well in any case. So I feel these changes should happen”.
As Hardik’s replacement, the Men in Blue will have to choose between Suryakumar and Ishan Kishan. Although Kishan has recently put-up good performances in the middle order, Rohit Sharma and company may opt for Suryakumar if they need a No. 6 batter.
INDIA’S REPLY:
In terms of the game, the Men in Blue demonstrated their superiority with a disciplined bowling effort. India’s response began with a great opening combination of Rohit Sharma (46) and Shubman Gill (26), which created a solid platform of 71 runs. Virat Kohli, on the other hand, shone brightest, leading the team to victory with a match-winning 95 off 104 balls.
India were 191/5 in the 34th over, but Kohli’s heroics ensured victory was still within reach. With two overs to spare, Ravindra Jadeja (39 not out) teamed with Kohli to secure the deal.
For more cricket updates, make sure to follow us on: