When Hardik Pandya comes back, our number 7 and 8 will be sorted: Shubman Gill

Hardik Pandya's prolonged injury-forced absence has affected the balance of India's ODI side and skipper Shubman Gill believes his lower middle-order will be "sorted" once the flamboyant all-rounder returns to international cricket.

Gill said Pandya's skills are unmatched as he is a seam bowling all-rounder, who can operate and be effective during any phase of the game. Pandya, who normally bats at No. 6 or 7, has been sidelined since the IPL because of multiple injury issues, the latest being stress on his shin just before an anticipated return to competitive cricket for India A.

"Firstly, I think he (Pandya) is a great player. The qualities he brings to the team are possessed by very few players in the world. Having a fast-bowling all-rounder who can bowl in every phase of the game, with the new ball, in the middle overs and at the death, along with the kind of batting he offers, is extremely valuable.

"It has been very unfortunate that he hasn't been able to play since the IPL," Gill's answer to a query on the frustration of missing his key all-rounder displayed the team's reliance on Pandya. Gill said that he is in touch with the 32-year-old and expects him to play a few domestic games before donning the India blues again.

"Yes, we have had multiple conversations. He was supposed to play the India A matches, but just before that, he had some niggles again. "Hopefully, he will be fit soon, play some domestic cricket, and then we will see him back in the side," Gill said.

The skipper believes that if India win an ODI series against a strong opposition like New Zealand, it would instil confidence in players going into next year's World Cup that even the absence of key resources like Pandya or Jasprit Bumrah cannot hamper the side.

"I feel that any Indian team that steps on the ground is capable of beating any other team. Definitely, young players will gain a lot of confidence if they perform well here. Gill insisted that middle-order slots like numbers five and six will always remain flexible and batters would be floated as per the requirement of the team.

"For us, positions five and six are a bit flexible. If you look at our top four, they are pretty much settled, and all of us are right-handed batters. Sometimes, if we feel that we need a left-hander at number five, we use Axar Patel.

"If we feel the platform has been set and KL Rahul needs to go in and accelerate, we make that decision according to the situation," Gill explained. "Personally, I feel that the number of overs remaining and the position we are in matter more than the fixed batting positions at five and six." The Eden Park is one ground where dimensions can puzzle both batters and bowlers playing for the first time.

In fact, the straight boundaries are not more than 55 metres and if the ball passes the 30-yard circle, there is no looking back. Gill agreed that tall fast bowlers standing at 6 feet 2 inches and above could pose problems for batters if they bowl at a good speed consistently.

"You have to be very precise with your shot-making. You have to be right on top of your game to score against someone who is bowling at 140-plus kmph and is six feet one, six feet two or six feet three inches tall. "There is a lot more risk when you are trying to score freely against that kind of a bowler."