Hardik Pandya could return only in IPL 2027: Report details India all-rounder's injury timeline, set to miss SL, ZIM series originally appeared on Cricket News. Add Cricket News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
- Hardik Pandya could return only in IPL 2027 as he recovers from a shin stress injury.
- He is expected to resume jogging in three weeks and miss India’s New Zealand, Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe series.
- With domestic cricket unlikely to offer a timely return, the IPL could be his next competitive assignment.
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Hardik Pandya's recovery timeline raises concerns over India return
Hardik Pandya may have to wait long until 2027 before he comes back to play in international cricket after being hampered by a repetitive issue of the injury on his shin.
As reported by Abhishek Tripathi of Dainik Jagran, Pandya is currently recuperating at BCCI’s Center of Excellence (CoE) due to the injury on his shin caused by stress fracture on the inner part of his shin bone.
Pandya is said to be recovering slowly and the medical team has not yet fixed a date for his comeback in any competitive cricket match. The India all-rounder is likely to resume jogging in around three weeks and subsequently, increase his running gradually over a period of eight weeks, depending on his performance in rehabilitation.
Even after the recovery from the above stage, Pandya needs to regain enough fitness to play at international level.
⚡सीधे आइपीएल में दिखाई दे सकते हैं हार्दिक पांड्या ⚡तीन सप्ताह बाद जागिंग शुरू कर पाएंगे चोटिल हार्दिक ⚡उसके बाद आठ सप्ताह तक बढ़ाया जाएगा रनिंग लोड। अभी पूरी तरह से मैच फिट होने में लगेगा बहुत समय ⚡अगले सप्ताह से हल्की स्किल ट्रेनिंग शुरू करेंगे पंत ⚡मैच सिमुलेशन के बाद प्रसिद्ध पर होगा फैसला ⚡ पिंडली की अंदरूनी तरफ स्ट्रेस इंजरी से उबर रहे हार्दिक फिलहाल बेंगलुरु स्थित सेंटर आफ एक्सीलेंस (सीओई) में रिहैबिलिटेशन प्रक्रिया से गुजर रहे हैं ⚡ सीओई की रिपोर्ट के अनुसार हार्दिक तीन सप्ताह में जागिंग शुरू कर पाएंगे और उसके आठ सप्ताह बाद उनका रनिंग लोड बढ़ाया जाएगा। अभी उनके पूरी तरह मैच फिट होने की डेडलाइन नहीं दी गई है ⚡उनका चयन न्यूजीलैंड दौरे के लिए नहीं हुआ है। ऐसे में 13 दिसंबर से श्रीलंका के विरुद्ध होने वाली वनडे और टी-20 सीरीज के साथ ही तीन जनवरी से जिंबाब्वे के विरुद्ध वनडे सीरीज में उनका खेलना संभव नहीं दिखाई दे रहा है ⚡अगर घरेलू क्रिकेट की बात करें तो तब तक सैयद मुश्ताक अली ट्राफी और विजय हजारे ट्राफी भी खत्म हो जाएगी। ⚡भारतीय टीम 21 जनवरी से तीन मार्च तक आस्ट्रेलिया के विरुद्ध पांच टेस्ट मैचों की बार्डर-गावस्कर सीरीज खेलेगी। पांड्या टेस्ट खेलते नहीं है। इसके बाद आइपीएल शुरू होगा। ऐसे में हार्दिक आइपीएल में ही खेलते दिखाई दे सकते हैं
— Abhishek Tripathi / अभिषेक त्रिपाठी (@abhishereporter) October 21, 2026
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Which India series will Hardik Pandya miss?
Pandya is set to miss the New Zealand series, with his fitness for further tours of India in question.
There is a limited-overs series against Sri Lanka starting on December 13 and another against Zimbabwe beginning on January 3. According to Tripathi's report, Pandya will most likely miss both the series.
He may miss the rest of the domestic schedule as well, with Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and Vijay Hazare Trophy concluding before he is ready to make a comeback.
The India-Australia Border-Gavaskar series consisting of five Test matches is set to start on January 21 and end on March 3. However, Pandya is not part of India's Test plans; therefore, the only big series left is the IPL series.
Without any specific date for his comeback, it seems that Pandya might come back directly for IPL 2027.
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India must take a long-term view of Hardik Pandya's injury
The prospect of Pandya's unavailability till IPL 2027 could be considered unfortunate for India as Pandya is known for his skills as a fast-bowling all-rounder, providing flexibility in bat and ball. The fitness problems associated with him have led the side to search for other options.
India, however, should refrain from bringing him back before getting fit again, and his rehab should help him build up the workload for him to play consistently with bat and ball.
Considering that the 2027 World Cup is round the corner, India may benefit more from focusing on Pandya's fitness rather than bringing him back prematurely.
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