Hardik Pandya faces another period on the sidelines after a fresh shin injury ruled him out of the upcoming A series against Australia in Puducherry. The all-rounder was scheduled to compete in the One-Dayers starting October 6, but this latest setback has disrupted his return to the pitch. His participation in the five-match T20I series against New Zealand, set to begin on October 22, is now also considered highly doubtful.
The road to recovery has been difficult for the 32-year-old, who has struggled with recurring fitness issues during his rehabilitation. In June, he was sidelined by a quadriceps strain while training at the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, which forced him to miss the ODI series against Afghanistan. His selection for the Australia A tour had already been contingent upon receiving a full medical clearance, yet he has encountered this new injury less than two weeks before the series opener.
Hardik’s competitive absence has been significant; his last T20I appearance was during the World Cup final in Ahmedabad last March, while his previous ODI outing occurred in the Champions Trophy final in March 2025. Although he managed to play 10 out of 14 matches during this year’s IPL, he has not featured in any competitive fixtures since then.
