India's injury worries surrounding Hardik Pandya have taken another hit, with the star all-rounder now likely to miss the ODI series against England next month.
Pandya was already unavailable for the Afghanistan series after suffering a quadriceps injury just when he was expected to return. Before that, he had gone to the BCCI's Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru to get clearance for a back problem that developed during his IPL 2026 campaign with Mumbai Indians (MI). Unfortunately, while working on his recovery, he sustained a fresh quadriceps injury, pushing his comeback further down the road.
The Daily Jagran understands that the injury is still not fully healed, making it difficult for him to be considered for selection against England.
Injuries have been a familiar story for Hardik over the past few years. During IPL 2026, he missed four matches for MI and only returned towards the tournament's final stages. His latest setback is a concern for the Indian team, especially with the management hoping to give him a consistent run in ODI cricket ahead of the 2027 World Cup.
With fitness issues continuing to crop up, there is uncertainty over how much game time Hardik will get before the showpiece event.
India has already experienced the impact of his absence in a major event. During the 2023 ODI World Cup, Pandya injured his left ankle against Bangladesh in the group stage. The injury forced India to rethink their team combination and make changes in the middle of the competition.
Even with his recurring fitness troubles, Pandya remains a key figure in India's long-term plans for the 2027 ODI World Cup in South Africa. However, the selectors are also keeping alternative options ready in case they need them.
One player who has caught the attention of the team management is Nitish Kumar Reddy. The young all-rounder has slowly been given more opportunities in ODI cricket and is being viewed as someone who could take on a bigger role in the coming years.
Kohli's Fitness Under Watch
Hardik is not the only player dealing with injury concerns. Virat Kohli is also racing against time to regain fitness after missing the ODI series against Afghanistan because of a hamstring problem.
The former India captain, who now features only in ODI cricket after stepping away from Tests and T20Is, suffered the injury during the IPL 2026 final between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Gujarat Titans in Ahmedabad. As a result, he was left out of the Afghanistan squad, with Yashasvi Jaiswal included in as his replacement.
Reports suggest Kohli is scheduled to undergo a fitness assessment at the BCCI's Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru on June 22. The outcome of that test is expected to decide whether he will be available for India's ODI assignment against England next month.