Asia Cup 2018: Why Hardik Pandya's injury is a blessing in disguise for the Indian team

This year's Asia Cup has got underway and we are already done with the marquee clash between India and Pakistan. India dominated the proceedings right from ball one and there was only one clear winner. The Pakistanis clearly had an off day and it was as if they didn't even turn up for the all-important clash.

India have a lot of positives to take into the next game against Bangladesh. It is a 'Super Four' fixture.

One of the main plus points is the return of Bhuvneshwar Kumar into form. Rohit Sharma scored a quick fifty and didn't let the Pakistani bowlers to settle in. However, India had to deal with a blow with Hardik Pandya sustaining an acute lower back spasm.

This incident occurred in the 18th over of the innings when Hardik was bowling. In his follow-through, he might have felt something in his lower back and then lay on the ground for a long time before he was stretchered off the field.

Having said that, this might not worry the Indian think-tank much as it gives them an opportunity to try out some new faces to fill in Hardik Pandya's place. His role in the team was always uncertain and there was no clarity over it. It didn't occur to me if he was a batsman who could roll over his arm a bit or a bowler who could hit a few runs.

Let's have a look at the players who might be brought in place of Hardik Pandya:

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1. Manish Pandey

He will look forward to his opportunity

The swashbuckling batsman from Karnataka has been in a sensational run of form lately. He was unbeaten in the four innings that he played for India A and ended up scoring 308 runs. He is the fittest player in the Indian team, and, by far, the best fielder. He is a proper middle-order batsman and a bright No. 4 prospect. He has the ability to build an innings as well as finish it.

He is a livewire in the field. With the form that he is in right now, he might be an excellent choice because Kedar Jadhav is already proving his mettle as an all-rounder. With him in the team, I don't think that Hardik Pandya would be missed.

2. Ravindra Jadeja

Jadeja was phenomenal in the only opportunity he got in the 5-match Test series against England.

The left-arm spinning all-rounder might be a tempting choice as well. He bowls with utmost precision and chips in his overs quickly. A handy batsman towards the end, Jadeja might be drafted into the Playing XI straight away.

Jadeja is very agile on the field and can cover a lot of distance in a short amount of time. He is exceptional in the 30-yard circle and hardly lets anything get away from him. But what concerns me is that he last played an ODI in national colours more than a year ago.

His experience no doubt will be a great asset to the team. Jadeja's inclusion will beef up the batting but it's with the team management to ponder upon.

3. Deepak Chahar

A good option to try out

The 26-year-old might be a good option to try out, considering his ability to swing the ball both ways. Deepak and Bhuvi form a deadly new ball pair. He bowls at a decent pace and he impressed us all in the IPL.

We also witnessed Chahar's batting abilities. He is a bowler who can bat a bit and that's the clarity that was missing with Hardik Pandya. However, Deepak Chahar is not as consistent as he would like to be, with the new ball.

It would be tough to trust him with 10 overs. He's not as experienced to handle the pressure of a Super Four fixture. Chahar sure is a good choice but, a risky one because he's still new to the international circuit.

India take on Bangladesh in a Super Four fixture on Friday and they start as the favourites. Ravindra Jadeja is likely to get the nod and it will be interesting to see what the team management thinks.