Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya faces a fresh setback in his bid to return to international cricket after experiencing discomfort in his leg during rehabilitation, casting significant doubt over his availability for the upcoming Twenty20 International series against Afghanistan.
Pandya has been undergoing an intensive rehabilitation programme at the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru. The medical team had initially targeted the three-match T20 series against Afghanistan for his international comeback. However, this unexpected physical discomfort during the final stages of his recovery has severely disrupted those plans, making his participation in the series highly unlikely.
The injury recurrence may also jeopardise his availability for the forthcoming Asian Games. Prior to this setback, the 32-year-old all-rounder had cleared several fitness tests in Bengaluru and resumed bowling at full intensity. Following the recent discomfort, medical staff advised him to pause bowling duties as a precautionary measure.
A BCCI official confirmed that whilst Pandya showed no prior issues during his bowling workloads, the precautionary pause was implemented to prevent further aggravation. Although he is expected to resume bowling shortly, the tight timeframe before the series commences poses a major challenge for him to achieve full match fitness.
India’s three-match T20 series against Afghanistan is scheduled to begin in Delhi on 13 September, with national selectors expected to announce the squad later this week. Medical reports indicate that Pandya faces no significant issues with batting or outfield movement. Nevertheless, team management remains firm on reintegrating him only when he is fully fit to handle the rigorous demands of international bowling.
Pandya last featured in competitive cricket on 24 May for Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League, whilst his last international appearance for India was on 8 March in the T20 World Cup final.
Despite the setback surrounding Pandya, the Indian camp received positive updates regarding other key squad members. Seam-bowling all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy has fully recovered from his injury, and spin-bowling all-rounder Washington Sundar is expected to regain complete match fitness ahead of the series. Meanwhile, senior pace bowler Jasprit Bumrah is unlikely to feature in the squad as management manages his workload.
