India all-rounder Hardik Pandya will miss the New Zealand match on October 22 in Dharamsala as he will not travel with the team to the next Cricket World Cup 2023 destination in Himachal Pradesh. Pandya is heading to National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru instead for treatment of his injured ankle. While fielding off his own bowling during the Bangladesh tie in Pune, Hardik twisted his ankle as he tried to stop the ball with his right foot. He missed the remaining match. BCCI has confirmed that Pandya is not travelling to Dharamsala.


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Updating the fans and the press after the game, India captain Rohit Sharma had said that there is nothing much to worry about Pandya's ankle. A day after the match, the BCCI provided an update on Pandya's fitness. The BCCI press release read: "Team India vice-captain Hardik Pandya sustained an injury to his left ankle while fielding on his own bowling during India’s match against Bangladesh at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Pune. The all-rounder was taken for scans and is advised rest. He will be under the constant supervision of the BCCI Medical Team. He will not be taking the flight to Dharamsala with the team on 20th October and will now join the team directly in Lucknow where India play England."


At NCA, Pandya will be treated by a specialist doctor from England, said an Indian Express report. The report also stated that Pandya will be taking administered injections at the NCA. 



“He will be heading to Bengaluru where he has been asked to report to the NCA. The medical team assessed his ankle scan report and it looks he will be fine by taking an injection. The BCCI consulted a specialist doctor in England and they too were of the similar opinion. He will be missing the next game,” a BCCI official was quoted as as saying on Indian Express.


Hardik is one India's key players in this World Cup. No other pace-bowling all-rounder comes close to him in terms of quality. His all-round skills help provide India with much-needed balance in the XI. If he gets injured, it will hugely dent India's chance in the ongoing World Cup. If Hardik does not play, India will have to include either Ishan Kishan or Suryakumar Yadav in the playing XI which will mean Shardul Thakur getting replaced by Mohammed Shami to strengthen the fast bowling department.


However, on tracks where R Ashwin's role will be crucial and he should be played, India will have to play three spinners and just 2 pacers in form of Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj. India will short of one bowler, in any case. That is why Pandya's fitness is of utmost importance and BCCI is not wasting any time to get him fit for the World Cup tie against England. Thankfully, India have a seven day break between New Zealand and England game and that will give enough time for Hardik to start running again.