Opinion/ IND vs NZ: Hardik Pandya's injury raises issues for 'men in blue', predicting India's strongest XI

As the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 progresses, cricket enthusiasts worldwide are eagerly anticipating the upcoming showdown between two cricketing powerhouses, India and New Zealand. The match, scheduled for Sunday in the picturesque setting of Dharamsala, promises to be a high-stakes encounter. Both teams have not lost even a single game in the tournament thus far. With India's campaign gaining momentum, a crucial aspect of the pre-match chatter revolves around the predicted playing eleven for the Men in Blue.

3 things you need to know

• India and New Zealand are all set to lock horns against each other on Sunday
• Both teams are thus far undefeated in the ODI World Cup 2023
• The last time India and New Zealand played in the Cricket World Cup, the Kiwis won

Also Read: India in big trouble, Hardik Pandya's probable replacement for NZ game suffers injury in nets

India's Predicted XI vs New Zealand

1. Rohit Sharma ©
2. Shubman Gill
3. Virat Kohli
4. Shreyas Iyer
5. KL Rahul (wk) 
6. Suryakumar Yadav/Ishan Kishan
7. Ravindra Jadeja
8. Shardul Thakur
9. Kuldeep Yadav
10. Jasprit Bumrah
11. Mohammed Siraj

Injury concerns for India ahead of the New Zealand clash

India's performance in the tournament has been nothing short of impressive, having secured four consecutive victories and sitting comfortably near the top of the points table. However, their journey hasn't been without its share of challenges, including a few injury concerns and critical team selections. Hardik Pandya sustained an ankle injury during their match against Bangladesh on Thursday.  Meanwhile, Hardik's probable replacement Suryakumar Yadav suffered a wrist injury during the practice session on Saturday, giving India another scare. However, the extent of Suryakumar's injury has not been confirmed by the Indian team management as of yet. In case the middle-order batsman is unable to take the field tomorrow, Ishan Kishan might get a call-up in his place.

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With all these factors in mind, India's predicted XI for the match against New Zealand is anticipated to be a well-balanced combination of experience and youthful exuberance. As the Dharamsala clash looms, fans eagerly await the official announcement of the playing XI, and the cricketing world will be watching with bated breath to witness another thrilling chapter in this World Cup campaign.