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Hardik Pandya Injury Update: Hardik Pandya ruled out of Australia 'A' series; wait extends due to new injury
Star Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya has suffered another major setback just as he was poised to return to the field. He has been ruled out of the upcoming ODI series against Australia 'A' in Puducherry due to a new shin injury. He was scheduled to make his return to competitive cricket through this List-A series, which begins on October 6.
Moreover, doubts now loom over his chances of being fully fit in time for the five-match T20 International series against New Zealand, which starts on October 22.
Repeated setbacks during rehabilitation
Hardik Pandya has been sidelined for some time due to recurring injuries. He has been facing persistent fitness issues while undergoing rehabilitation at the Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru:
- Return delayed in June as well: He was expected to play during the ODI series against Afghanistan in June 2026, but was ruled out after suffering a quadriceps strain during training.
- Selection hinged on fitness clearance: His selection for the ODI series against Australia 'A' was entirely dependent on receiving fitness clearance. However, this new shin injury—occurring just two weeks before the series—has undone all his hard work.
Hardik has been away from international cricket for a long time
The 32-year-old all-rounder has not played an international match for India for a considerable period:
- Last T20I: The T20 World Cup final played in Ahmedabad in March 2026.
- Last ODI: The Champions Trophy final match in March 2025.
- Last competitive match: For Mumbai Indians in IPL 2026 (participated in 10 out of 14 matches); he has not played any competitive match since then.
This new injury to Hardik has raised concerns among the Indian team management and selectors, as finding a replacement for him in white-ball formats has always been a challenge for Team India.
