India skipped a beat when Hardik Pandya was seen withering in pain against Bangladesh at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Pune on Thursday. The all-rounder sprained his ankle while trying to stop the ball in his follow-through but could not balance his body. After he twisted his left ankle, he was seen hobbling and his over was completed by Virat Kohli.
After India registered a convincing win of seven wickets against the Tigers, the Indian skipper Rohit Sharma provided a positive update on the all-rounder’s injury. Rohit said nothing major has been found in Hardik’s scans and they will assess his injury on a daily basis.
As per the current reports, Hardik has been rushed to the NCA, where he will be attended by a specialist from England. The Indian vice-captain will also miss the big clash against New Zealand on Sunday.
Rohit Sharma said in the post-match presentation, “Hardik pulled up a bit sore, nothing really major to worry. We’ll see how he pulls up tomorrow morning and then plan on how to go forward.”
Meanwhile, Rohit was delighted with the team’s fourth win of the tournament as they continued their impressive show. Rohit was pleased with the fielding effort as KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja took fine catches to dismiss Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Mushfiqur Rahim respectively.
Rohit added, “It was a good win, something we were looking forward to. We didn’t start well, but the guys pulled it back in the middle-overs and at the back-end. Our fielding has been superb in all these matches, it’s something that’s in your control, you can put in your best effort. The bowlers were smart to understand what lengths to bowl. Jaddu was brilliant with the ball and the catch, but you can’t beat a hundred. We’re doing well as a group, a medal for all performances in the playing field and that’s something which motivates everyone to do well.”
The Indian skipper added that all the players have the experience to play in front of the big crowds and they know how to handle the pressure of a big stage like the World Cup.
Rohit concluded, “Everyone in the squad has gone through pressure, the crowd is coming in big numbers, the stands are full, they haven’t disappointed us, they’ve been brilliant and I’m sure they’ll be louder and louder as we move on.”
India will next take on New Zealand at the Himachal Pradesh Association Stadium, Dharamshala on Sunday.
