‘Play more cricket’: Kapil Dev’s blunt take on Hardik Pandya’s injury

Hardik Pandya (AFP photo) Hardik Pandya’s prolonged absence from competitive cricket has once again brought the issue of player workload, playing time and injuries to the fore, with India also dealing with fitness issues involving several other players.Pandya has not played competitive cricket since the last week of IPL 2026. He was expected to return to India A in the upcoming ODI series against Australia A starting on October 6, but his return has been delayed. His return date has been set for September 20 and he is now ruled out of the upcoming white-ball tour of New Zealand.So what does Pandya need to do to make herself available more often?“Play more cricket,” former India captain Kapil Dev told the Tech Word News.Asked if he felt Pandya wasn’t doing that, Kapil said: “I don’t know. You play more, your body adjusts to it. But if you play less and suddenly you play more, the chances of injury increase. If your muscles are fine, injuries are less.”Kapil’s comments come at a time when India are dealing with a number of injury concerns. Prasidh Krishna has been ruled out for at least three weeks and is highly likely to miss the upcoming five-match ODI series against New Zealand. India’s tour of New Zealand begins with the T20I series on October 22.Harshit Rana has also suffered his fitness and is unlikely to be picked for India’s upcoming tour of New Zealand. Rana was ruled out of the three-match T20I series against Afghanistan last month and from the 2026 Asian Games due to injury. He was recuperating at BCCI’s Center of Excellence in Bengaluru, but developed mild pain in his left quadriceps during the match simulation.Meanwhile, Pandya has been stepping away from competitive cricket since the end of IPL 2026, while Harshit last featured during India’s white-ball match against England in July.The wider spread of cricketing injuries over the past four to five years has also sparked a debate with Kapil about whether the volume of cricket has contributed to the problem.Pointing out the difference in the playing patterns of his generation, the former Indian captain quoted Sandeep Patil’s observations on how players used to be involved in different forms of domestic cricket.“Sandeep Patil put it very nicely. ‘In our time we have played Ranji Trophy, Duleep Trophy, club cricket and also other cricket.’ In 365 days, if you can play 250 days, you’re in the game.”For Kapil, regular cricket helps the body get used to the demands of the game. For India, Pandya’s extended absence and fitness concerns around several other players underline the challenge of keeping key players available for longer stretches.