Hardik Pandya likely to miss the AFG vs IND T20I series. Check details
Team India's star all-rounder Hardik Pandya has been sidelined from the international team for a long time. He was last seen playing for the Indian team at the T20 World Cup 2026 final against New Zealand. After this, Indian fans have been eagerly awaiting his return ever since. Reports recently suggested that Hardik was fit and poised for an imminent comeback. While undergoing rehabilitation at the BCCI's Centre of Excellence (CoE), he has suffered another injury-related setback.
The 32-year-old all-rounder has been advised to stop bowling after experiencing discomfort in his leg. This development has significantly reduced the likelihood of him being fit in time for India's three-match T20I series against Afghanistan, which begins on September 13 in New Delhi. India's selection panel is scheduled to meet this week to pick the squad for this series.
Due to this new injury issue at the CoE, doubts now loom over his return for the Afghanistan T20I series starting on September 13. Hardik Pandya has been advised to halt bowling due to leg discomfort at the BCCI's Centre of Excellence, casting serious doubt on his return for the Afghanistan T20I series.
Pandya's absence from competitive cricket has now become quite prolonged. His last match for India was the T20 World Cup 2026 final on March 8, while his last competitive appearance overall was on May 24, when he represented the Mumbai Indians during the IPL. This gap of several months, combined with the latest setback, highlights just how challenging the path to his return to international cricket has become. This is not the first time Hardik has faced an injury while at the NCA.
A few months ago, prior to the ODI series against Afghanistan, he was diagnosed with a low-grade quadriceps sprain (a strain in the thigh muscle). The recurrence of this issue further delayed his return date. Since then, he has been working under a structured rehabilitation program at the Centre of Excellence, a process that has been ongoing for about seven to eight months. The T20I series between India and Afghanistan is scheduled to begin on September 13; following that, the T20I squad will travel to Japan for the Asian Games.
