New Delhi, September 26, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Hardik Pandya’s return to competitive cricket has suffered another setback, with the India all-rounder set to miss the upcoming one-day series between India A and Australia A due to a fresh shin issue.
Pandya was named in the India A squad for the three one-dayers against Australia A, beginning October 6, subject to fitness clearance. However, he has now been advised to rest and avoid physical activity, according to a source familiar with the matter.
“Hardik has suffered another injury setback. After the leg niggle, now a shin issue has cropped up, which has complicated things regarding his return to competitive cricketing action,” the source said.
“He’s definitely putting in the hard yards to get back to playing again, but a clearer picture of his recovery timeline will come in the coming weeks. For now, he’s been advised complete rest and to not do any kind of serious physical activity,” the source added.
The setback also raises doubts over Pandya’s availability for India’s upcoming New Zealand tour, which includes five T20Is and five ODIs, although he is no longer part of India’s Test plans.
Pandya has been recovering since IPL 2026, during which he missed part of Mumbai Indians’ campaign. He has been at the BCCI Centre of Excellence since May after suffering back spasms during the IPL and has not played competitive cricket since then.
He subsequently picked up a leg strain at the CoE while preparing for the ODI series against Afghanistan and missed that series as well. Pandya last played an ODI during India’s 2025 Champions Trophy-winning campaign and last featured in T20Is during the 2026 T20 World Cup triumph.
India head coach Gautam Gambhir had recently said Pandya was not fit enough to bowl his full quota of 10 overs in ODIs and that the team would not rush him back into international cricket.
In Pandya’s absence, India have brought seam-bowling all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy into the white-ball setup for the West Indies series. The three-match ODI series begins in Thiruvananthapuram on September 27.
Gambhir had said the India A series against Australia A would have provided Pandya with an opportunity to gain match practice before potentially returning to the international squads.
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