Hardik Pandya suffers another setback, return to Indian team could be further delayed: report

Hardik Pandya's injury recovery has been hit with another setback. The star India cricket team">India cricket team">India cricket team">India all-rounder looked set to return for the upcoming three-match T20I series against Afghanistan, but he has now reportedly suffered a leg niggle, putting his participation in doubt. Hardik, who is undergoing his recovery at the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru, has reportedly been asked to stop bowling after discomfort in his leg was noticed. This setback could make him unavailable for the Afghanistan series, with the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee set to meet this week to pick the squad.

According to a report, Hardik was training with full intensity before the niggle occurred.

"Hardik Pandya was operating at full intensity without any discomfort but he has been advised to pause bowling due to discomfort in the leg. He will resume soon, but the Afghanistan series is too close to reach the required fitness levels," a source tracking developments said, as per the report.

"Batting and movement-wise, there wasn't any significant issue, but the CoE needs to be completely convinced before giving an all-clear," the source added.

Hardik is one of several key India players currently on the sidelines recovering from their respective injuries. Pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah, all-rounders Washington Sundar and Nitish Kumar Reddy, and batter Sai Sudharsan are among those also injured.

With Hardik set to turn 33 in a month's time, the BCCI have been cautious regarding his recovery. He is yet to play a single competitive match since the end of IPL 2026. His last appearance for India was the T20 World Cup 2026 final win over New Zealand.

Hardik is expected to be a key figure for India in the 2027 ODI World Cup, providing much-needed balance to the side with his explosive powerhitting and pace-bowling capabilities.