• Source:JND
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Fast bowling all-rounder Hardik Pandya, who is currently in the process of recovering from an ankle injury, is uncertain to return to action before India's last World Cup league match against the Netherlands scheduled to take place on November 12 as per a report. Pandya injured his left ankle while trying to grab the ball on his own bowling in the game against Bangladesh in Pune on October 19.

After sustaining the injury, matches against New Zealand and England and is also set to miss the fixtures against Sri Lanka on Thursday and South Africa on November 5.

"It is a minor tear. He is recovering well and is likely to return for the last league game. There is also a possibility that he straight away plays the semifinal," a BCCI source was quoted as saying by PTI.

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India's stellar performance in the ongoing competition has put them in a commanding position with six consecutive wins, positioning them well on their path to securing a spot in the semifinals.

However, the absence of the dynamic all-rounder, Hardik Pandya, has necessitated some strategic adjustments. The team management has been compelled to make two significant changes to their playing eleven in his absence. To compensate for Pandya's multifaceted contributions, the team has opted to field a playing XI with five bowlers. This move involves having the versatile Suryakumar Yadav batting at the crucial number six position, stepping into Pandya's shoes.

Following India's victory over England, their bowling coach, Paras Mhambrey, conveyed his optimism regarding Pandya's imminent return. The talented all-rounder has been undergoing a recovery process at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru, with the hopes of rejoining the team soon.

"The medical team is looking at that and are very much in touch with Hardik and the NCA (National Cricket Academy) as well. We're hoping to get an update in a couple of days," Mhambrey had said on Sunday.

As per a BCCI media release, Pandya was supposed to join the team in Lucknow ahead of the England game but he was not with the squad.