Three reasons why Hardik Pandya and Vijay Shankar should play together in the World Cup

With the Indian sojourn ending against Australia, the next international assignment for India is the 2019 World Cup in England and Wales. At the end of the series, Australia will be feeling extremely hopeful of their chances in the forthcoming gala event. On the other hand, India will have to shrug off this setback quickly as they used the series for experimenting with different combinations. The headache for the Men in Blue is still the middle order as it is a crucial piece of a jigsaw puzzle and they tried as many as 3 players in 5 outings. But nobody came up with a telling contribution and that’s why Captain Kohli will not be sure of his final XI for the first match of WC. Problems become aplenty when a team plays with 6 proper batsmen and 5 genuine bowlers. It is the exact problem which India faced in the recently concluded series as it lacked contribution from the lower order. Sometimes in low scoring ties, the contribution from the bottom half can make a huge difference and that’s where all-rounders can come handy. Though Hardik Pandya missed out the series due to injury, Vijay Shankar filled the void to an extent. In his limited opportunities Shankar has proved his worth in the team with his all-round skills and it will be a surprise if he is not in the World Cup squad. It will be difficult for the management to field both in the playing XI but if they play together it adds a different dimension to the team. The following three reasons will show why Vijay Shankar and Hardik Pandya should be playing together in the World Cup: Contrasting batting styles: Hardik Pandya. (Photo by Phil Walter/Getty Images) Though Shankar and Pandya ply same trade for their teams they are like chalk and cheese, completely different from each other. In his small stint for the Indian team, Shankar has shown that he has got a classic textbook technique and it was on show when he made eye-catching 45 against New Zealand in the fifth ODI earlier this year at the Westpac Stadium in Wellington. In the same match, Pandya made an identical score, but the style involved was hard hitting and slogging. Both the players have the ability to bat in the top 6 and as both of them have different batting styles so it can be used wisely according to the match situation. On a given day both Shankar and Pandya can become low tide and high tide respectively as per the team’s needs. Good athletic agility: Vijay Shankar of India A. (Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images) Fielding plays a crucial role in any form of cricket and a good fielding unit always gives confidence to the bowling unit. Going into this World Cup, starting May 30, the Indian team has a decent fielding unit but it also has its share of slow movers. So if Shankar and Pandya are in the playing eleven, the fielding standard will go a notch higher as both of them are swift movers. Apart from their ground fielding, they have also taken some acrobatic catches owing to their athleticism. Running between the wickets is also very important in white ball cricket as it disturbs the bowlers’ plan. Both Shankar and Pandya are agile and their presence will definitely help players like MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli who always build their innings based on quick running between the wickets. Extra Bowling Option: Vijay Shankar. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images) Nowadays, the Indian team mostly fields five genuine bowlers which is an attacking brand of cricket because it always keeps the batting team on the tenterhooks. This strategy has worked wonders for the unit. But when one of the members will have an off day it can put the skipper under immense pressure. This is where Shankar and Pandya will be captain’s delight as they are not muggles with the ball in their hands and can easily cover up for the struggling members. Both of them can generate decent pace and movement which can be really helpful in bowler-friendly conditions. Even on flat pitches, they can be a handful as they can provide the odd breakthroughs which can completely change the course of the game. At the end of the day, Vijay Shankar and Hardik Pandya can contribute immensely to current Indian setup even by playing alone. But if they are played together the outlook of the team will change and the skipper can try out various combinations which can produce favourable results. ~ Written by Kiran Kumar [interaction id=”5c78d0e1ed1699155b841172″] Get the latest Cricket News and updates, Match Predictions, Fantasy Cricket Tips and lots more on CricTracker.com.

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Three reasons why Hardik Pandya and Vijay Shankar should play together in the World Cup

If they play together it adds a different dimension to the team.

Good athletic agility:

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