Inside the Hardik Pandya injury story: What happened, road ahead, timelines and more

Hardik Pandya (PTI Photo) NEW DELHI: Hardik Pandya suffered another setback at the BCCI Center of Excellence this week as a quadriceps strain ruled him out of the upcoming ODIs against Afghanistan. After a week of high-intensity training and match simulation drills, the all-rounder was preparing to return to the format from 2025, but mild soreness/stiffness extended that wait. A few hours before his scheduled departure from Bengaluru, the all-rounder felt discomfort in his quadriceps and immediately alerted the medical team at the CoE. He was immediately taken to a nearby facility for scans, which were later shared with Dr. Dinshaw Pardiwala. An immediate diagnosis revealed a quadriceps sprain that required a recovery period of at least two weeks. TimesofIndia.com has learned that the team management has already been briefed on the current situation and will soon decide on a replacement if required. As for Pandya, he will continue to stay in Bengaluru and follow the routine established by the CoE team. He will likely resume light jogging/running around the weekend and hit the nets full force in the coming week. The intensity will last at least a week before the Council of Europe gives him the all clear. India’s next ODI assignment after the Afghanistan series is against England, in England, and it remains to be seen how the selectors will deal with Pandya’s situation. By the time the ODI specialists leave for England, the 32-year-old could be back to full fitness. Will they include him in the “subject to fitness check” selectors? A phone call is expected in the coming week when the selectors meet to pick the squad for the series starting on July 14.

Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya (PTI Photo/Kunal Patil)

Not only Pandya but also Virat Kohli’s fitness will be discussed as India’s star batsman has been ruled out of the Afghanistan series. Those selected will receive updates from the medical team on their recovery schedules.

Early check-in

Pandya did not report to the Bengaluru facility as the BCCI medical team had planned a long rehabilitation program for him. He wanted to use the latest facilities and undergo proper training before joining the team in Dharamsala on June 11. With the Wankhede Stadium hosting the T20 Mumbai League, Pandya opted for the CoE to complete his sessions with a host of net bowlers and side-arm specialists.Spending more time at the CoE is likely to become a regular part of his regime as proper data and video recording is done and he has top experts under one roof. Moreover, the quality of the clean sessions is much better than what he would get from training at various locations in Mumbai.