India vs Australia 2019: 3 accidental opportunities created by Hardik Pandya’s injury just ahead of the World Cup

2. Moment of truth for Vijay Shankar

Vijay Shankar

Hardik Pandya's loss has always been Vijay Shankar's gain. Just a month ago, when Pandya was suspended for a short period post his controversial statements on the talk show 'Koffee with Karan’, the selectors then replaced him with Tamil Nadu's all-rounder for the Australian series.

Shankar grasped the opportunity with both hands and successfully managed to impress the team management. Subsequently, he earned himself a place in the away series against New Zealand and the upcoming home series against Australia.

Now though Shankar is classified as a pace bowling all-rounder, he has predominantly been utilized for his batting skills so far. However, Pandya's unavailability for the entire home series presents a great opportunity to the talented 28-year-old to showcase his all-around skills and rightfully earn the respect of being an all-rounder.

Considering India's need for a pace bowling all-rounder this summer, Shankar is just a few excellent performances away from reserving his place in the 15 member squad for the World Cup.