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Hardik Pandya is out of World Cup 2023 due to injury
Rahul Dravid told who can be the option for the sixth bowler?
New Delhi. Hardik Pandya is out of World Cup 2023 due to injury. After Pandya’s dismissal, the biggest question before Team India is who will play the role of the sixth bowler? By the way, in the last three matches, India won even after playing with 5 bowlers. But, if the need arises, who will fill the gap of the sixth bowler? Head coach Rahul Dravid unveiled this before the match against South Africa. When Dravid was asked a question about the sixth bowler in the press conference, he jokingly said that if needed in the match against South Africa, he can be used as the sixth bowling option to Kohli.
Let us tell you that Hardik Pandya got injured while bowling in the match against Bangladesh and he had to leave the field. Then Kohli bowled the remaining three balls of his over. He gave only 2 runs on these three balls. Even in the recent win against Sri Lanka, fans were demanding Virat to bowl. However, now it has become clear that Pandya will not play in the World Cup. In such a situation, Team India not having the option of a sixth bowler is a big concern. Coach Dravid himself also knows this. But, when he was asked a question in the press conference regarding the option of the sixth bowler, he took the name of Virat Kohli to keep the atmosphere light.
Virat Kohli is a dangerous inswing bowler: Dravid
Rahul Dravid said in the press conference, “The reality is that we do not have any good sixth bowling option. (jokingly) Yes, we definitely have a dangerous inswing bowler (Virat Kohli). I would like Virat to bowl 1-2 overs. The spectators were also demanding in the last match that they should be made to bowl. We were going to give one over to Virat in the last match also.
‘We have played well even without the sixth bowler’
Dravid further said that if needed, Suryakumar Yadav and Rohit Sharma can also bowl. However, the coach also said that the team has bowled well in the last few matches in the World Cup even without the option of a sixth bowler. Dravid also mentioned the absence of Hardik on this. “you are right. Hardik used to give us the option of sixth bowler. But you know, we have played the last 4 matches without a sixth bowler. Before the World Cup, in the series against Australia, we also played some matches without a sixth bowler. Of these, we had won the matches in Mohali and Indore. In both these matches we played with five bowlers.
The Indian head coach further said, “We have dealt with this challenge well. We may not have that sixth bowling option in the coming matches also. But the team has faced it well. I think we have performed well in the World Cup even without this option.”
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Tags: Hardik Pandya, India vs South Africa, Rahul Dravid, Virat Kohli, world cup 2023
FIRST PUBLISHED: November 5, 2023, 10:03 IST