Suresh Raina noted that Hardik Pandya has had his struggles with injuries and India should groom a reliable backup for him heading into the upcoming ODI World Cup.
Hardik missed a few games for the Mumbai Indians this season, and despite trying to regain full fitness at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence, he couldn’t and was subsequently ruled out of the three-match ODI series against Afghanistan.
“Hardik Pandya has had several injury setbacks, which is a concern. By the time the next ODI World Cup arrives, India must have a reliable backup for him,” Raina said while speaking on JioStar’s ‘Follow the Blues’.
Raina identified Nitish Kumar Reddy as a promising option, mentioning that the young all-rounder has improved a lot in batting as well as bowling. The Sunrisers Hyderabad cricketer has been picked in the ODI series against the Blue Tigers and also in the T20I series against Ireland and England.
“His batting has become more solid. He bowled with good pace and control in the IPL, and his fitness has also held up well. The team management will need to manage his workload carefully and give him consistent opportunities,” he said.
The former India batter believes that Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma will have key roles to play for the Men in Blue during the ODI World Cup 2027. Apart from their skills as batters, Raina feels that their experience will come in handy for young captain Shubman Gill.
“Both are proven run-scorers in ICC World Cups. They have won ICC trophies and know how to handle pressure in knockout games. For Shubman Gill, captaining India in a World Cup, having Rohit and Virat alongside him will be a huge advantage,” Raina said.
Kohli won’t be participating in the ODIs against Afghanistan as he has been ruled out with a hamstring injury. Rohit, however, has been busy in training and is all set to open the batting alongside Shubman against Hashmatullah Shahidi and Co.
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