Injured Hardik Pandya to play domestic cricket before India returns: Shubman Gill

India are awaiting the return of Hardik Pandya as they prepare for the 2027 ODI World Cup, captain Shubman Gill said on Tuesday, on the eve of the team’s ODI opener against New Zealand. India play a five-match ODI series against New Zealand, their biggest home assignment since 2018-19.

India are not at full strength due to Hardik Pandya’s injury. The all-rounder has not played cricket since the Indian Premier League and is currently in the BCCI Center of Excellence (CoE), having battled a string of injuries since May.

Asked about the all-rounder’s impact on the team, Shubman said Hardik is a rare cricketer with the ability to bowl both the new ball and the old ball. Pandya is an established No. 7 or No. 8 in India’s ODI team, tasked with providing the final push in the closing stages of the innings.

Gill said that the Indian team was waiting for the all-rounder to return and would be happy for him to come back. However, he added that Hardik will have to play domestic cricket before returning to the Indian team. This essentially means that Pandya will have to prove his mettle in either the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy or the Vijay Hazare Trophy, which will be played in November and December.

“Firstly, Hardik Pandya is a great all-rounder. Few players in the world have his skills. As a bowler, you can use him in different aspects of the game. He can mix with the new ball and the old ball. We have had a few conversations. He has been unlucky with his injuries. He has not played since the IPL. And hopefully he will get back to domestic cricket soon. Hopefully he will get back to domestic cricket soon.” soon,” said Shubman Gill at the pre-match press conference ahead of the first ODI.

HARDIK PANDYA’S RECENT INJURY HISTORY

Pandya’s injury troubles began during IPL 2026 when he missed three matches for Mumbai Indians with back spasms. Although he returned towards the end of the tournament and played his last competitive match on 24 May, his fitness issues continued during his rehabilitation at the BCCI Center of Excellence (CoE).

In June, Pandya suffered a quadriceps strain during rehabilitation, which ruled him out of the ODI series against Afghanistan. He subsequently missed England’s ODI series as he failed to regain full fitness. His return was further delayed when he developed pain around his knee during fielding practice ahead of the Afghanistan T20I series.

Pandya was named in the India A squad for the one-day series against Australia A in September, subject to fitness clearance, and was expected to return to competitive cricket in October. But another setback followed when scans revealed an injury to his right shin. He was advised two weeks of complete rest, which also ruled him out of the Australian A Series.

The latest injury also meant that Pandya missed India’s entire white-ball series against New Zealand, spanning five T20Is and five ODIs. His absence from the ODI series, which begins on November 4, has further delayed his return to international cricket. After not playing competitive cricket since May, the all-rounder is now expected to use domestic cricket as a way back into the Indian team.

India will begin the ODI leg of the tour on November 4 and play their final match on November 15. After the ODI portion, the focus shifts to the two-Test series starting on November 19, giving both teams little time to recover from the demands of the previous formats.

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