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'Too Dependent' On Hardik Pandya - Aakash Chopra's Worry For India In World Cup

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Team India may have clinched a comprehensive 2-1 series victory against Australia in the recent home series without Hardik Pandya, but former India opener Aakash Chopra reckons the side is "too dependent" on their premier all-rounder heading into the ICC World Cup 2023. 

Chopra expressed a brewing worry that the team management would also be aware of. The Rohit Sharma-led side would be wary of an untimely injury to their best all-round cricketer over the next two months, with Pandya's potential absence threatening to destroy India's balance and preferred combination.

The experienced Baroda cricketer is not just a key lower middle-order hitter down at the No.6 spot and shares power hitting duties with the equally critical spin allrounder Ravindra Jadeja but also allows the team to field six bowlers in their first-choice playing unit with his skiddy right-arm seam bowling.

Chopra 'Worried' For India's Balance If Pandya Gets Injured 

Speaking on JioCinema's daily sports show '#AAKASHVANI,’ Chopra expressed his deep-felt worry for the balance of the Indian team in the fatal scenario of Pandya being weighed down by an injury or workload concerns during the two-month-long World Cup grind. 

"I am a bit worried that India is too dependent on Hardik Pandya. There is no other player like him in the squad – nobody bowls in the top 6. Ravindra Jadeja can play at No. 7, but his batting form hasn’t been great lately. Also, Pandya is the only batting all-rounder in the team and Shardul Thakur isn’t – he can’t bat at No. 6," Chopra said. 

"Hence, I believe that Hardik Pandya is critical to team India’s success in the World Cup. Another reason why I am worried about this is the fact that he did not play the last three ODIs against Australia and the warm-up matches did not happen."

"He has not played a lot of cricket - he played in the Asia Cup final and took a couple of wickets but could not bat and the last two fixtures against Pakistan were not too significant in terms of his performance. So, there might be a chance he might not be at his best in his first game in Chennai," he added. 

Pandya has a history of struggles with a back injury and took time to recover from his surgery for the same in late 2019. Not until the IPL 2022 did the premier allrounder properly return to bowling at optimum speeds and regain his mojo in either skill.

The team management and selectors have been alert to Pandya's physical toll and have rested him quite frequently in the build-up to major assignments over the past three seasons.