World Cup 2019: 3 takeaways for India from their win against Afghanistan 

#1 Rishabh Pant has to play

India needs to bring Rishabh Pant in the playing XI

Shikhar Dhawan's unfortunate injury saw Rishabh Pant being drafted into India's 15-man squad. The game against Afghanistan was a clear example of the need to draft the 21-year-old into the playing XI. Firstly, the absence of Dhawan has left the team without a left-hander in the top seven. This makes it easier for teams to attack the Men in Blue with wrist spinners and leaves a lack of versatility in the batting unit.

Further, without Dhawan, India really lacks a player who can accelerate from the start and maintain a steady strike rate throughout the innings except for Hardik Pandya. With Pant coming into the equation, that will change. The youngster will add more explosiveness to the middle order and make it tougher for opposition captains to contain the Indian batting unit. This will also reduce the pressure on Pandya to hit the big shots and allow him to play with more freedom.