Hardik Pandya has a unique relationship with Australia. It's been both a backdrop for some mighty highs as well as some embarrassing lows for the inspirational Indian all-rounder. If six years ago, he left these shores prematurely in rather awkward circumstances, Hardik was a star performer when India returned in late 2020, averaging 105 with a strike-rate of 114.75 across the three ODIs. That included a valiant 90 off 76 as India nearly chased down 375 at the SCG, and a game-turning 92 that got them over the line in Canberra. In 2020, his main contribution came with the ball when in the 2nd ODI he bowled four overs on the trot, despite being asked not to because his body wasn't ready for more than two in a row. And how he even got Steve Smith out after a 60-ball century in that spell.

And he had creditable numbers three years ago in the T20 World Cup on Australian soil, highlighted by his all-around brilliance in the famous win against Pakistan at the MCG. It also means that the 32-year-old's absence has been conspicuous this time around across Australia. Not just because of the golden mane he's currently sporting.

It's been felt if anything as much in the absence of his raw enthusiasm in India colours, as it has in what it's meant to the make-up of India's team. And to the possibility of Kuldeep Yadav getting a look-in especially. For, in a weird way Kuldeep and Hardik have been joint at the hip as far as ODI cricket goes in recent months. And more so under Gautam Gambhir's reign.

And the moment India had to go into the Perth ODI without Hardik, who is still out with a quadriceps injury, the decision seemed to be made simultaneously for Kuldeep as well. Even if Nitish Kumar Reddy is being propped up as the man to take over from the 32-year-old from Baroda with regards to being the genuine seam-bowling all-rounder.

With Hardik, however, India also get a specialist third seamer, who balances the team out in such a way that they can afford to choose the attacking option always by playing their wicket-taking left-arm wrist spinner. In 2023 alone, Hardik took 21 wickets at 24.85, often taking the new-ball, and often being an equally potent strike weapon alongside Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammad Siraj. Like he did through the World Cup on home soil that year before going down with an injury post the win against Bangladesh. Back then, India were forced to make two changes to make up for Hardik. With Suryakumar Yadav coming in as a specialist bat and Mohammed Shami as the third seamer, leading to R Ashwin missing out for good. It eventually worked well for India as they still could afford to keep Kuldeep in the mix alongside Ravindra Jadeja.

But with Reddy's bowling still not considered good enough for the team management to entrust him with the responsibility of playing as a pure seamer who doubles up with the bat in Hardik fashion. That means they can't leave out Harshit Rana and instead need to make a compromise with regards to their second spin bowling option, which they do by choosing the conservative option of Washington Sundar as the batting all-rounder. So, more a very useful bowling option who lengthens your batting rather than the serial wicket-taker who has historically turned games around in the crucial 20-40 over mark. That makes Washington more an insurance in the batting department rather than a genuine weapon in the bowling arsenal.

Not that the Indians are completely shying away from the impact that Hardik not being here is having on their team balance. "Someone like Hardik always is a big loss anyway. But because of his injury, if we look at the positive side, that Nitish is getting some game time and we are trying to groom him. Every team needs an all-rounder," said batting coach Sitanshu Kotak on the eve of the second ODI.

What with Bumrah not here either. As impressive as Siraj has been of late across formats, and he did start well in Perth too, India in their current make-up in Australia are without their two foremost strike forces, even though one of them, Kuldeep, the only genuine all-format wrist spinner in world cricket, is warming the bench currently.

While the next World Cup is two years away, it's likely to be played in early summer conditions in South Africa much like this current series is here in Australia. And it'll be vital for last edition's finalists to get their template right rather than keep indulging in this selection roulette that they are sticking with

With Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and even Shreyas Iyer largely one-format players, there will naturally be 3-4 month gaps in between ODI performances for them. And there is the potential then for the batting stocks constantly looking like it could do with some enforcing, which could mean further bench time for Kuldeep. Unless they change focus and insist on creating a bowling attack that is backed to take wickets.

All of which makes Hardik the one-man solution to the balance conundrum for the Indians with their ODI make-up. And which also makes his absence as conspicuous as the presence of a couple of senior players here around whom every thread of the narrative surrounding the series has been woven.