Hardik Pandya's Comeback Stalls Ahead of Afghanistan T20Is

Hardik Pandya’s latest comeback bid has stalled again.

The India all-rounder, who had been pushing hard for a return in the three-match T20I series against Afghanistan starting September 13 in New Delhi, has picked up a late leg niggle at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, putting his selection in serious doubt.

According to information learned by TimesofIndia.com, Pandya had been training at full tilt and “ticking the right boxes” in his rehab. The signs were encouraging. Then the discomfort arrived.

He has now been advised to stop bowling for the moment because of the leg issue. He is expected to resume, but not quickly enough to be fully ready for the Afghanistan T20Is. With the series barely days away and selectors scheduled to meet this week, the timing could hardly be worse.

“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. Batting and movement-wise, there wasn't any significant issue, but the CoE needs to be completely convinced before giving an all-clear,” a source tracking developments said.

That caution is shaping his immediate future.

Pandya, 32, has not played any competitive cricket since May 24, when he last turned out for Mumbai Indians in the IPL. His most recent outing for India came even earlier, on March 8 in the T20 World Cup final. Since then, he has missed the white-ball series at home against Afghanistan and the tours of Ireland and England.

This latest setback only lengthens that absence.

It also fits an uncomfortable pattern. Before the ODI series against Afghanistan, Pandya suffered a late relapse with a low-grade quadriceps sprain. On that occasion too, he had been at what was described as peak fitness and training strongly before the injury struck.

The BCCI’s medical and support staff have taken a hard line: no clearance until the Centre of Excellence is fully satisfied. For a player whose role hinges on being a genuine all-rounder, partial fitness is not enough.

While Pandya’s return stalls, there is more positive news elsewhere in India’s all-rounder pool. Nitish Kumar Reddy and Washington Sundar are understood to be progressing well in their own bids to be available for the Afghanistan series, strengthening the options for the selection committee as it shapes the squad.

Jasprit Bumrah, meanwhile, sits in a different category. His participation in the three T20Is remains “touch-and-go”, with the fast bowler still on track for the Asian Games but far from a guaranteed starter against Afghanistan.

So India’s immediate plans may have to be drawn without their premier white-ball all-rounder once again. The bigger question now is not just whether Pandya can get fit, but whether he can stay fit long enough to anchor India’s next phase in T20 cricket.