There is no doubt that Hardik Pandya is the best all-rounder for India at the moment in the white-ball format of the game. The 29-year-old balances this Indian team perfectly and his form with both bat and ball will be crucial for the Indian team going into the Asia Cup 2023 and ODI World Cup 2023.
Hardik Pandya has proved to be an X-factor that the Indian team required for a long time, as the Gujarat Titans skipper takes on the high-quality bowlers in the death overs to finish the game for India and a proper 6th bowling option in the team, who can provide vital breakthroughs in the middle overs of the game.
Hardik Pandya has battled injury issues and has been in and out of the side with injuries that have impacted his bowling ability, He has been rested for the Indian team citing workload management, as it takes a lot of energy to contribute to India in all three departments of the game. Here are five Indian all-rounders who deserve a place in the Indian team in the absence of Pandya.
1. Axar Patel
Indian all-rounder Axar Patel has been in the form of his life in recent times. The Left-handed all-rounder has been consistent with both bat and ball in all three formats of the game for India. The 29-year-old was one of the bright spots for the Delhi Capitals in the recently concluded Indian Premier League.
Axar Patel can be perfect for the Indian team, as he can be a perfect replacement for Hardik Pandya his batting stature has grown higher and higher in the last couple of seasons and the left-arm spinner can be handy with the ball in the Sub-continental conditions.
In the recent Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test series against Australia at home, Axar Patel hit 264 runs in 4 matches against a high-quality Australian attack, becoming India’s 2nd highest run-getter after Virat Kohli in the high-octane 4-Test series.
2. Shivam Dube
Shivam Dube has been an important player for the Chennai Super Kings in the 2023 season and the all-rounder has played exceptionally well in the middle order for the five-time champions. The Indian all-rounder has been one of the big hitters for CSK providing them the much-needed impetus in their batting.
The 29-year-old’s career has had a tremendous rise since joining CSK last season, and his performances have gotten a notch higher this season. The hard-hitting all-rounder can counter-attack the spinners in the middle overs and shift the momentum in the favour of his team and he possesses the versatility and ability to bat at any position in the batting order.
If the all-rounder can find his consistency in International Cricket. He can play the role of Hardik Pandya in the Indian team, as he can also bowl some medium pace in the middle over.
3. Washington Sundar
Washington Sundar is one of those players who will be fighting for a spot in the squad for the 2023 ODI World Cup in India. The 23-year-old has had a modest season for SRH in IPL 2023, In seven games he scored only 60 runs and claimed three wickets at an average of 48.67, Washington Sundar was a disappointment before injury curtailed his season.
Tamil Nadu all-rounder has shown promise in the limited opportunity in International Cricket, as he can be vital for the Indian team going forward in all three formats of the game. Washington Sundar has been a good off-spinner for India with very handy batting potential and is also an impeccable fielder.
In T20 cricket, Sundar is an excellent defensive bowler who has a knack for picking up important wickets, Sundar has played many valuable for India and his State-side Tamil Nadu in the middle order.
4. Venkatesh Iyer
Venkatesh Iyer made his mark with the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) as he made a brilliant comeback after an injury. He seemed equally comfortable against pace and spin, as he can also bowl some overs in the middle for the India team. The all-rounder has been in fine form and could be a handy addition to any squad.
Venkatesh has put in the grind on the domestic circuit and made a comeback in the IPL 2023, where he played a few match-winning knocks for the Kolkata Knight Riders. Though he hasn’t bowled a single delivery this year in the cash-rich league and the Indian all-rounder can bowl medium pace which can be handy for the Indian team in a limited-over format. He is the best like-for-like replacement for Hardik at the moment.
5. Manoj Bhandage
Manoj Bhandage is an emerging all-rounder from Karnataka, who has impressed everyone with hard-hitting skills in domestic cricket and T20 tournaments in Karnataka. The 24-year-old had an excellent domestic white-ball season with Karnataka and has been one of the standout players in the Col CK Nayudu Trophy.
He was brought by Royal Challengers Bangalore in the IPL 2023 but hasn’t got a game for his home side in the 2023 season. The Karnataka all-rounder can play the role of the finisher in the team along with a few overs that he can chip in the middle overs to provide proper balance in the side. The young all-rounder is a player to watch out for in the future and can be a potential replacement for Hardik Pandya in the Indian team