New Delhi: Former India opener Gautam Gambhir feels Virat Kohli's team will keep facing the problem of imbalance till it finds a suitable replacement for a half-fit Hardik Pandya as his nearest competitor Vijay Shankar is not of the same level.
Pandya is playing currently as a specialist batsman and is not sure when he would be fully fit to bowl in ODI cricket. India lost to Australia by 66 runs in a high-scoring series opener in which the visitors missed a sixth bowling option.
Asked if there is a problem of balance, the hero of two World Cup triumphs couldn't agree more.
"Big-time and this has been happening what -- since the last World Cup. If Hardik is not fit (to bowl), where is your sixth bowling option," Gambhir was quoted as saying by ESPN Cricinfo.
"It's only Vijay Shankar that I can think of but does he have the same impact batting at No 5 or 6. Can he give you seven or 8 overs, I have my doubts," the straight-talking Gambhir said.
According to Gambhir, this is the kind of problem that can't be sorted even if an opener of Rohit Sharma's caliber comes back.
"You can talk (about) putting in Manish Pandey, even if and when Rohit Sharma comes back in the XI, the problem you are facing now you will be facing then. There is no one in the top six who can actually give you a couple of overs," he said.
While Marcus Stoinis and Glenn Maxwell are already in the playing XI as pace and spin bowling all-rounders respectively, Australia has a number of back-up men with multiple skill-sets, including rookie Cameron Green, who is set to make his international debut.
"And if you see the Australian side, there is Moises Henriques, who can give you a couple of overs, there is Sean Abbott who is bowling all-rounder. They have Daniel Sams who can both bowl and bat.
"From the Indian point of view, if Hardik is unfit where is the replacement?"
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Bantwal: Ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, a meeting of Congress workers from Bantwala Assembly Constituency was convened at Narayana Guru Sabha Bhavan in B.C. Road. Padmaraj R who. is the Congress candidate for the DK Lok Sabha constituency addressed the gathering and spoke about the party's commitment to serving the people.
Padmaraj highlighted the development projects brought to the district by Congress leaders over the years, including the Port, Airport, N.M.P.T., and K.P.T.C.L. He contrasted this with the BJP's record, urging party workers to confidently seek votes from the people based on Congress's track record of pro-people schemes.
Coming from a humble background, Padmaraj spoke on the value of education and his involvement in social work. He expressed his commitment to working closely with party workers to ensure that their efforts align with the desires of the people.
Former minister Ramanatha Rai, the D.K. district election in-charge, praised Congress's focus on uplifting the poor and highlighted the impact of guarantee schemes implemented by the state government.
DCC president Harish Kumar called on party workers to conduct door-to-door campaigns to publicise the state government's guarantee schemes to win over voters.
Several party leaders and officials, including Geru Corporation President Mamata Gatti, Block Congress Presidents Baby Kunder and Sudheep Kumar Shetty, were also present at the meeting.