Ranking India's all-rounders ahead of the World Cup

#1 Hardik Pandya

New Zealand v India - ODI Game 3

Hardik Pandya would probably board the flight to England as one of Team India's most valuable assets. Equally effective with both bat and ball, the junior Pandya lends the much-required balance to the squad.

This very fact was palpable in India's 3rd ODI against New Zealand when the talented cricketer made a difference on his comeback to the international scene.

More likely to bat at No 7 in the batting line-up, Pandya would be an ideal bet to tonk the ball in the death overs. The hard-hitting batsman can form a daunting pair with an MS Dhoni or a Kedar Jadhav down the order.

Coming to his bowling credentials, the 24-year-old can bend his back to generate a decent amount of pace on the English pitches. Pandya would also take heart from his recent heroics in England where he decimated the English batting unit in the third Test at Nottingham.

On top of all, as Virat Kohli said, the recent controversy that marred Pandya's blooming career might just help him scale new heights in his career. And what better stage than the World Cup to announce his resurgence?

ODI stats

Mat: 44 Runs: 686 Avg: 28.58 Wkts: 42 Eco: 5.52