Pandya suffers new injury; unlikely for Afghanistan ODIs

Hardik Pandya's return to ODI cricket has been delayed further, with the India all-rounder developing a fresh complication that will rule him out of the three-match ODI series against Afghanistan, beginning in Dharamshala on June 13.

The BCCI is yet to confirm the quadriceps injury he sustained while undergoing rehabilitation at the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru for back spasms, but a replacement is expected soon. Pandya was originally due to fly from Bengaluru to Dharamshala on Thursday for the first match.

Pandya informed the CoE medical team of discomfort on Tuesday and was immediately referred to a local clinic, where scans revealed a quadriceps strain that will require at least a couple of weeks to heal.

He will stay in Bengaluru to complete his rehabilitation and is expected to be fit for the three ODIs in England, scheduled for July 14, 16 and 19. The BCCI is yet to announce the squad for that series.

While announcing the squad for the Afghanistan ODIs, the BCCI had stated that Pandya and Rohit Sharma were conditional selections, subject to clearing fitness tests. Rohit has cleared the assessment, but Pandya's fresh injury has further delayed his return to international cricket.

Pandya has not played an ODI since March 2025 and has not represented India in T20Is since March 2026.