India all-rounder Hardik Pandya is set to make his return to ODI cricket after being “almost declared fit” by the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence (CoE) ahead of the upcoming three-match ODI series against Afghanistan, which is scheduled to start from June 13.

Hardik had been dealing with back spasms that forced him to miss a few matches for the Mumbai Indians (MI) during Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026. To complete his recovery, he was sent to the CoE in Bengaluru, where he has been undergoing fitness training and rehabilitation.

Will Hardik feature in the Afghanistan ODI series?

Although he was included in India’s 15-member squad for the Afghanistan series, his selection was subject to receiving fitness clearance from the medical team.

“Hardik is almost cleared for his ODI return. It was more of a formality, as he has been going well in batting, bowling and fielding since arriving at the CoE on June 2. Both Hardik and Rohit are still here. There’s one more day to go, as the ODI team will assemble in Dharamshala tomorrow,” a source aware of the development told IANS.

Hardik’s return comes as a major boost for the Indian team as they continue preparations for the 2027 ODI World Cup, which South Africa, Namibia and Zimbabwe will jointly host.

Rohit Sharma is yet to clear the fitness Test

Meanwhile, captain Rohit Sharma is also undergoing a fitness assessment after recovering from a hamstring injury suffered during IPL 2026. His participation in the Afghanistan series remains dependent on final clearance from the medical staff.

Hardik has not featured in an ODI since India’s Champions Trophy-winning campaign in March 2025. Rohit, on the other hand, last played an ODI in January and missed six IPL matches this season due to a hamstring issue.

India have already been dealt a setback with Virat Kohli being ruled out of the Afghanistan series. The star batter suffered a hamstring injury during Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s successful IPL 2026 title run. Young opener Yashasvi Jaiswal has been named as his replacement in the squad.

The ODI series against Afghanistan will begin in Dharamsala on June 13. The second match will be played in Lucknow on June 17, while the final ODI is scheduled for June 20 in Chennai.