One day following the announcement of Hardik Pandya’s unavailability for India’s fifth ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 match against New Zealand in Dharamsala, the Indian team management has made the decision to include Suryakumar Yadav and the experienced fast bowler Mohammed Shami in the starting XI.

Earlier in the day on Saturday, the Indian team experienced a moment of concern when Suryakumar Yadav and Ishan Kishan left the optional practice session with some discomfort. Suryakumar Yadav had been struck on his right wrist, while Ishan Kishan was stung by a bee on the back of his head while practicing under the floodlights at the HPCA Stadium.

Fortunately, it has been reported that Suryakumar Yadav’s injury is not serious, and he is expected to be fit for Sunday’s match. Both Yadav and Shami have not yet had an opportunity to play in the World Cup, but Pandya’s injury has created an opening for them in the starting lineup, prompting the team management to reevaluate their playing combination.

The team management had already communicated their decision to include Suryakumar Yadav and Mohammed Shami in the next game. With Pandya sidelined, the team is inclined to field five specialist bowlers as they lack a sixth bowling option. Notably, Shami did not participate in the practice session on Saturday, while the batters were engaged in throwdowns and facing net bowlers.

Suryakumar Yadav And Mohammed Shami To Be Included In The Playing XI?

India’s team coach, Rahul Dravid, suggested the likelihood of Shami and Yadav getting a chance in the upcoming match during the pre-match press conference held on the eve of the game. He mentioned various playing combinations and highlighted the option of introducing Shami, a valuable seamer, to the lineup.

“I think there are different combinations we could come up with. Obviously, the three seamers, having someone like Shami sitting out there and bringing him in this game is a great option,” said Rahul Dravid.

Dravid also responded to questions about the batting order, particularly regarding Ishan Kishan’s potential inclusion due to the presence of a left-arm spinner in the New Zealand team. Dravid acknowledged Kishan’s proficiency and suggested that Suryakumar Yadav, known for his ability against spin, could be deployed as an enforcer in the lower middle order, while Kishan might be considered for a higher position in the batting order.

“It’s nice to have Ishan. And as you said, rightly, he’s been playing well. He’s a left-hander. But again, Surya has also come into some great form against Australia, as we saw. He played a couple of fantastic innings. Absolutely fantastic player against spin, as we know. Left-arm spin or off-spin, or any kind of spin, for that matter.

“And plus, the role may be for a middle over the role — so we will just have to see which one we want to — we are pretty clear about the kind of roles that people can play. So, if you are looking for someone who might be a bit of an enforcer for us in the lower middle order, then Surya is certainly someone who can do that. If you are looking for someone a little bit higher up the order, then maybe we might go with Ishan,” he added.

During the practice session on Saturday, Suryakumar Yadav suffered a minor injury when he was struck by a full toss from throwdown specialist Raghu. Following the incident, he was seen tending to his wrist with an icepack and later applied a bandage before leaving the nets.

The Indian team has been in remarkable form, winning all four of their previous matches. However, their upcoming encounter with New Zealand promises to be a challenging test, as the Kiwis have historically provided tough competition for the Indian side.

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