Team India got a major jolt when star all-rounder Hardik Pandya was injured in the ongoing ICC ODI World Cup 2023. It has severely affected the balance of the side. The tail of the side is often exposed after the loss of few wickets in the top order. As per several experts, it is going to dent the chances of the team ahead of the crucial knock-out stages of the mega tournament.
However, former captain Sourav Ganguly believes that Rohit Sharma’s Team India is still favourites in the mega event. The legendry batsman feels that the hosts are still a formidable side in the absence of the utility all-rounder.
“Hardik is an important player but India are still a very strong side,” Ganguly said during an interview.
Notably, Hardik hurt his ankle while bowling his first over against Bangladesh. He missed India’s crucial clash with New Zealand last week. Rohit’s deputy is also unavailable for the high-voltage World Cup encounter between India and England at Lucknow. As per sources, Hardik will also miss India’s upcoming game against Sri Lanka as well.