The Indian cricket received a huge blow with Hardik Pandya being unavailable for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 match against New Zealand on October 22. The premier all-rounder hurt his ankle while attempting to field off his own bowling. He was seen grimacing in pain and after receiving some treatment on the field, he was eventually unable to continue. Pandya was subsquently taken for scans and the BCCI, in an official statement, confirmed that the player will miss the IND vs NZ match in Dharamsala, slated to be played in a couple of day's time. ICC Cricket World Cup 2023: Indian Players Likely To Get 2–3 Day Break After New Zealand Match in Dharamsala.

Pandya's absence is a big one for India, given the fact that he provided the Indian team with a great balance. Not only does he bowl crucial overs, the right-hander is pretty handy at number six with the bat in hand. He has been one of Rohit Sharma's most important bowlers in CWC 2023, taking five wickets so far. The good news is that he will join the Indian team in Lucknow ahead of their match against England. So who will replace him when India take on New Zealand on October 22?

1) Mohammed Shami: Mohammed Shami can be one of the possible replacements for Hardik Pandya in India's playing XI. The right-arm fast bowler, one of the most experienced in the side, is yet to feature in this edition of the tournament and his inclusion could add that extra spice to India's fast bowling attack. Also, the conditions in Dharamsala would assist his style of bowling. India at ICC Cricket World Cup 2023: Get Indian Cricket Team’s Upcoming Matches Schedule, Results and Latest CWC Points Table Position on Team Standings.

2) Ravichandran Ashwin: The ace spinner did not feature for the Indian team since the Men in Blue beat Australia in their ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 campaign opener. Ashwin might not be an exact like-for-like replacement for Pandya but can add that depth to the batting, which India will now miss in the absence of the fast-bowling all-rounder. Ashwin, with his bag of tricks, can come in handy against the likes of Devon Conway and skipper Tom Latham in Dharamsala.

3) Ishan Kishan: Another option that the Indian team can opt for is Ishan Kishan, in a bid to strengthen their batting a bit more with Pandya not around. Kishan played India's first two matches in ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 but was benched when Shubman Gill recovered from illness. Kishan can slot in the middle-order after Rahul and can hit the big shots if there's a need towards the end of the innings.

The news of Pandya rejoining the Indian team ahead of their match against England in Lucknow is definitely good news for fans of the Men in Blue. India have won four games out of four in CWC 2023 and will face New Zealand, the only other side to remain undefeated in the tournament. The contest would be a much-anticipated one.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 20, 2023 10:00 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).