India, Feb. 23 -- India have taken one major tactical turn from their 2023 ODI World Cup campaign. They are playing with one pacer less and an extra spinner. It often goes unnoticed that one weapon that allows them this flexibility is the all-round brilliance of Hardik Pandya.

The allrounder's new-ball spell in Sunday's Champions Trophy game against Pakistan was an example of how he plugs the crucial holes in India's ODI gameplan. Mohammed Shami, coming off a successful five-for had got off to a wretched start - seven wides in his 11-ball first over. If that wasn't enough, he walked off the park to treat his ankle, after bowling the third over. The heat may have got to him, but there would have been concerns, what if Shami, having come b...