New Delhi: Hardik Pandya The BCCI center of excellence suffered a fresh shock this week when a quadriceps strain ruled them out of the upcoming ODIs against Afghanistan. After a week of intensive training and match simulation drills, the all-rounder was set to return to the format from 2025, but a minor ache/stiffness has extended the wait. Hours before taking off from Bengaluru, the all-rounder felt pain in his quadriceps and immediately alerted the medical team at the CoE. They immediately rushed him to a nearby facility for a scan, which was later shared with Dr Dinsha Pardiwala. A quick evaluation revealed a quadriceps sprain that required a recovery timeline of at least two weeks. TimesofIndia.com has learned that the team management has already been informed about the current situation and will soon decide on a replacement if necessary. As for Pandya, he will continue to stay in Bengaluru and follow the routines laid down by the CoE team. He will likely resume some light jogging/running over the weekend and hit the nets in full force in the coming week. The intensity will remain for at least a week before the CoE gives it the all-clear. India’s next ODI assignment after the Afghanistan series is in England against England, and it remains to be seen how the selectors handle the Pandya situation. The 32-year-old can return to full fitness by the time the ODI specialists leave for England. Will the selectors include them “subject to fitness clearance”? A call is expected in the coming week when the selectors will pick the squad for the series starting July 14.
Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya (PTI Photo/Kunal Patil)
Not just Pandya, Virat Kohli’s fitness will also be discussed as the star India batsman has been ruled out of the Afghanistan series. The selectors will get an update from the medical team on their recovery timelines.
Early check-in
Pandya did not check into the Bengaluru facility because BCCI The medical team had arranged a long rehabilitation program for him. He wanted to use the latest facilities and undergo proper training before joining the squad in Dharamsala on June 11. As the Wankhede Stadium was hosting the T20 Mumbai League, Pandya chose the CoE to complete his sessions with a battery of net bowlers and side-arm specialists.Spending more time at the CoE is likely to become a regular feature during his tenure as proper data and video footage recording is done and he has top experts under one roof. Moreover, the quality of the net session is much better than what he would get while training in different arenas in Mumbai.
