ICC Champions Trophy 2017: Ravichandran Ashwin should replace Hardik Pandya, feels Sourav Ganguly

What’s the story?

Former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly has urged India to replace all-rounder Hardik Pandya with off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin for their must-win clash against South Africa in the 2017 edition of Champions Trophy. The 44-year old called for five specialist bowlers to tackle the Proteas’ powerful batting lineup.

“I think Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja should play. Drop Hardik Pandya, bring back Ashwin. India should play five bowlers against South Africa,” Ganguly told India Today.

Despite the defeat against Sri Lanka, he insisted that the ‘Men in Blue’ have looked good in both departments of the game. The veteran felt, “Not only batting, India's bowling has also looked good except for just one game. Sri Lanka batted exceptionally.”

Lavishing praise on skipper Virat Kohli, the erstwhile left-hander advised the team to play sensibly in the high-pressure match. Ganguly said, “Play sensibly, it's about absorbing pressure. Virat Kohli is a terrific player, one of the best in this format. He is a world-class one-day batsman.”

The background

Before Pandya entered the equation, India usually opted for the bowling attack comprising of three seamers and two spinners in ODIs. Upon lending balance to the playing eleven, the all rounder's arrival has gone on to precipitate a major shift in the team's combination.

The heart of the matter

Pandya had an impressive outing in India’s opening game against Pakistan at Edgbaston. After swelling the total by smashing Imad Wasim for three successive sixes in the final overs, he picked up a couple of handy wickets and played his part in blowing Sarfraz Ahmed’s team for a paltry 164.

Extra Cover: Is Hardik Pandya a batting all-rounder or a bowling all-rounder?

However, in the match against Sri Lanka, Pandya failed to make a mark with either bat or ball. Having been dismissed for a 5-ball 9, the right-armer bowled 7 overs and gave away as many as 51 runs without picking up any wicket. More pertinently, captain Kohli looked bereft of options as his bowlers were hammered all over the ground. The presence of an extra bowler could have caused a bit of consternation in the opposition camp.

What’s next?

Following their woeful performance against Sri Lanka, India now face the prospect of a virtual knockout clash against South Africa at The Oval on Sunday. With the pressure of elimination hanging over both sides, the stage is set for a captivating contest.

Author’s take

Contrary to Ganguly’s assessment, the likes of Ravi Shastri and VVS Laxman want India to drop Kedar Jadhav and include Ashwin. Seeing as the batting lineup appears to be in good nick, the team management should retain Pandya and bring their premier off-spinner in place of the extra batsman.