Cricket World Cup: Suryakumar Yadav, Mohammed Shami to be picked in playing XI for Ind vs NZ game | Cricket-world-cup News
A day after Hardik Pandya was ruled out from India’s fifth World Cup game against New Zealand, to be played in Dharamsala on Sunday, the Indian team management has decided to give Suryakumar Yadav and ace pacer Mohd Shami a shot in the playing XI.
The Indian team received a scare earlier in the day on Saturday when Suryakumar Yadav and Ishan Kishan walked off the optional net session in some anguish. While Surya had sustained a blow to his right wr, Kishan was stung a honeybee in the back of his head while batting under the lights at the HPCA Stadium on Saturday.
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However, it is learnt that the Yadav injury is not serious and he will be fit Sunday. Yadav and Shami haven’t got a World Cup game till date. However, an injury to all-rounder Pandya has opened a door for them to make it to the playing XI with the team management opting to rejig their playing combination.
The Indian Express understands that the team management had already informed both Yadav and Shami about their inclusion for the next game. The team wants to go with five special bowlers, because with Pandya not playing, they don’t have a cushion for a sixth bowler. Shami, though, didn’t turn up for the nets on Saturday while the evening witnessed the batters taking some throwdowns and facing net bowlers.
India team coach Rahul Dravid hinted of Shami and Yadav getting a game during the pre-match conference on eve of the game.
“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,” Dravid had said.
He was asked whether the team will look at Kishan in the batting-order especially with the New Zealand side having a left-arm spinner in the line-up. Dravid replied, “It’s nice to have Ishan. And like 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. Most Read
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“And plus, the role may be for a middle over 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.
In the nets on Saturday, Surya picked up a blow off throwdown special Raghu’s full toss. The batter was then seen nursing an icepack on his wr after which he’d strap a bandage on the wr and leave the nets.
The Indian team has been in superb form as they have won all four of their games. But in the form of New Zealand on Sunday, they will face a team which has always given them a tough fight.