Shami vs Iyer vs SKY: HT WC Poll predicts India star’s exit for Hardik’s return | Cricket

With vice-captain Hardik Pandya in a race against team at the ICC World Cup 2023, the Rahul Dravid-coached Indian side gave their playing XI a quick fix by unleashing Suryakumar Yadav and Mohammed Shami for India’s crucial World Cup matches against New Zealand and England . Hitting timber in his very first delivery of the ICC World Cup 2023, Shami announced his arrival in style as the speedster ended India’s 20-year jinx against the Black Caps in ICC events.

Truth be told – India’s third-most successful pacer (at 50-over World Cup) was nothing but a benchwarmer before Rohit’s deputy, Pandya was ruled out for a few round-robin games due to an ankle injury. Shami not only stamped his authority with his lethal pace but the senior pacer also became somewhat undroppable at the grandest stages of them all – the ICC World Cup. After watching the first four World Cup matches from the sidelines, Shami bagged a historic fifer against New Zealand before running riot in India’s 100-run win over defending champions England.

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India opted to field an unchanged XI against England. Middle-order batter Suryakumar Yadav repaid the selectors’ faith by playing a crucial knock in the low-scoring encounter. Suryakumar’s entertaining knock of 49 off 47 balls lifted India to a match-winning total against the reigning world champions. Since vice-captain Pandya is reportedly ruled out of India’s World Cup clashes with Sri Lanka and South Africa, Rohit and Co. are tipped to retain Suryakumar and Shami in the starting eleven. But what will happen when Pandya returns to the fold?

Who should make way for Hardik?

According to a Hindustan Times’ World Cup poll, premier batter Shreyas Iyer should be making way for a fit-again Pandya at the ICC World Cup 2023. As of November 1, 2023, Iyer received 77.55% of votes to make way for all-rounder Pandya in India’s XI for the upcoming World Cup games. Superstar Suryakumar received 12.59% votes while an in-form Shami fetched 9.86% votes. A misfiring Iyer had a forgetful outing against England at the ICC World Cup.

How Shreyas Iyer performed so far at World Cup

Averaging 33.50, Iyer has scored 134 runs in 6 innings at the ICC World Cup 2023. Iyer was dismissed for a three-ball duck against Australia in India’s World Cup opener. The middle-order batter was unbeaten on 25 off 23 balls in India’s 8-wicket win over Afghanistan. The swashbuckling batter slammed a gritty half-century (53 off 62 balls) in the high-voltage clash between arch-rivals India and Pakistan.

Iyer then notched up scores of 19 (vs Bangladesh), 33 (against New Zealand) and 4 (England) in the India World Cup. Iyer’s short ball struggles were exposed during India’s previous World Cup outing. Working on his vulnerability against the short ball, Iyer spent a considerable amount in the nets prior to India’s match against Sri Lanka at his home ground.