By Luke Baker

Key departure: Shikhar Dhawan has been forced out of the Indian squad because of a broken thumb
PICTURE: Getty Images

IT IS unlikely to be enough to see them slip up against rock-bottom Afghanistan – but India’s longer-term World Cup ambitions took their first serious blow with the news that Shikhar Dhawan has been ruled out of the tournament.
The classy opener fractured his left thumb while making a century against Australia on June 9 and after confirmation he will be in a cast until mid-July, Rishabh Pant has been called up as his replacement.
Pant will act...