Why is Hardik Pandya ruled out of World Cup 2023?

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Hardik Pandya has been ruled out of World Cup 2023, as it was confirmed on Saturday (November 4) by ICC.

The Indian all-rounder will play no further part in the remainder of the tournament and has been replaced with Prasidh Krishna.

It has come as a big blow for India as Men in Blue prepare for a tough challenge against South Africa on Sunday. Hardik Pandya's all-around ability brings equilibrium to the Indian team, and missing him will mean Rohit Sharma and Rahul Dravid will have to prepare for life as it has been now.

Although the Indian team has done well despite Pandya's absence, it is to be seen how they adapt in the final few hurdles.

What Happened to Hardik Pandya?

Hardik Pandya injured his left ankle in the match against Bangladesh in Pune. The Indian all-rounder was initially taken to Pune's hospital for a check-up and it was revealed that the injury is not as severe as it was initially feared.

Pandya was tipped to miss a few group-stage matches but was supposed to make a return in November. But things haven't gone as planned for the 30-year-old.

There was a notion that the player may miss the entirety of group stages, and now it has been confirmed that Pandya won't recover by the World Cup. His ankle is still sore and the accelerated timeline to play in the World Cup is impossible.

This is a huge setback for Pandya, who was slowly getting his rhythm back with the ball. The Indian vice-captain picked up 5 wickets in the four matches that he played in the tournament.