3 Indian Players Who Can Replace Krunal Pandya In The T20 Series

In a piece of unfortunate news, India all-rounder Krunal Pandya has tested positive for covid-19 in Sri Lanka on the morning of July 27, Tuesday, the day for the second T20I. 8 more members of the squad were identified as close contacts to Krunal Pandya, the BCCI said, and hence all are placed in quarantine.

Thus, the second match has been postponed to Wednesday, July 28, given the entire contingent returns negative test. If things go right, both the teams will have to play back-to-back games as the third T20I is scheduled for July 29th.

India currently leads the series 1-0 having won the first match on Sunday by 38 runs. After scoring 3 runs off 3 balls, while batting at number 7, in the back end of India’s innings, Krunal Pandya then gave the visitors their first breakthrough in the third over with the wicket of Minod Bhanuka. He bowled 2 overs for 1/16, while his brother, Hardik, bowled two overs to complete the quota of the fifth bowler.

Now, since he has tested positive for the virus, it is unlikely that Krunal Pandya will play the remaining two T20Is as he would be required to take proper rest. Also, the Indian squad, despite being a second-string one, has backup players to replace the left-hander.

3 Indian Players Who Can Replace Krunal Pandya In The T20 Series:

Nitish Rana

Nitish Rana was one of the five ODI debutants in the third ODI. The left-hander scored 7 runs while batting at number 7; he bowled three overs of his part-time off-spin on a pitch that was assisting the spinners.

Rana had a decent first half of the IPL 2021 for the Kolkata Knight Riders: he started off with a brilliant 80 off 56 and 57 off 47 in the first couple of games, but his season tapered after that in terms of both runs and the strike rate.

Nonetheless, Rana enjoys playing the shorter form of the game – he has experience of 122 T20s under his belt where he averages 27.63 while striking at 136.36. If selected he would add the batting depth in the side, however, he is a less accomplished bowler than Krunal Pandya.

Krishnappa Gowtham

Off-spinning all-rounder Krishnappa Gowtham was another player who made his ODI debut in the third ODI. The right-hander scored 2 runs and returned with a wicket of opener Minod Bhanuka; he was on the expensive side – economy of 6.12 in his 8 overs – even while the surface assisted his spin-bowling. He was guilty of bowling faulty lines; but given it was his debut international game and with no game time in the IPL for CSK, that may be excused.

Gowtham featured in just a couple of IPL games last season for Punjab where he stroked 42 runs at 155.56, but was expensive with the ball with an economy of 10.50. He could be given his T20I cap in the second T20I against Sri Lanka replacing Krunal Pandya, but that would mean a compromise in the batting department, which is unlikely to happen considering India struggled in finishing in the first match.

Rahul Chahar

Rahul Chahar is the likeliest candidate to come in the eleven in place of Krunal Pandya – that, though, would mean the side will lack batting depth. But Rahul, in the form he has been in, would be difficult to ignore for captain and coach.

The leg-spinner snapped 11 wickets in 7 IPL 2021 matches for Mumbai Indians at an economy of 7.21. On his ODI debut in the third ODI versus Sri Lanka, Rahul was India’s best bowler with figures of 3/54, single-handedly keeping the side in the game.

Chahar earlier replaced senior leg-spinner, Yuzvendra Chahal, in India’s eleven during the home T20I series against England. He has been Mumbai’s premier spinner since IPL 2019 and a key contributor to their last couple of title wins. Chahar is pushing Chahal for the spinner’s position in India’s eleven for the T20 World Cup.

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