Hardik Pandya’s return to international cricket has suffered another setback, with the India all-rounder experiencing discomfort in his leg during rehabilitation at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru.
Pandya had been making progress in his recovery and had started bowling again, raising hopes that he could return to India’s T20I squad for the upcoming three-match series against Afghanistan. The first match is scheduled for September 13 in New Delhi.
However, the latest discomfort has forced him to temporarily stop bowling as a precaution. The exact nature and severity of the problem have not been publicly disclosed, and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has not issued a detailed medical update on the latest development.
The timing is particularly frustrating for Pandya. He has been working his way back after a long period away from competitive cricket and had reached the stage of high-intensity training at the Centre of Excellence.
His last competitive appearance came for Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League on May 24. Pandya’s most recent match for India was the T20 World Cup final against New Zealand on March 8.
The all-rounder’s fitness has been a recurring concern over the past year. India’s plans often depend on Pandya being able to contribute with both bat and ball, making his bowling fitness especially important to his selection.
That is now the main question surrounding his possible return.
India’s selectors are expected to finalise the squad for the Afghanistan series soon, leaving limited time for Pandya to regain full bowling fitness and demonstrate that he can withstand the demands of international cricket.
India does have other options. Players such as Nitish Kumar Reddy and Washington Sundar can provide all-round capabilities, giving the selectors alternatives if Pandya is not ready. But neither offers exactly the same balance of pace bowling and middle-order batting that Pandya brings when fully fit.
For India, there is little reason to rush him back. The immediate Afghanistan series is important, but the larger priority is preparing a settled squad for the international calendar ahead.
For Pandya, meanwhile, another delay will be difficult to absorb after months of rehabilitation and missed cricket. He had appeared to be moving closer to a comeback, only for the latest concern to interrupt that progress.
There is still time for the issue to settle and for his rehabilitation to resume, but his availability for the Afghanistan series now looks uncertain.
After several interruptions to his return, India’s priority will be to ensure that Pandya comes back only when he is fully ready — not simply when he is able to play one more match.
