Hardik Pandya Injury Update: Ligament Damage Confirmed For Team India All-Rounder, Set To Miss ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 Matches Against England, Sri Lanka And South Africa

Team India skipper Rohit Sharma and head coach Rahul Dravid have plenty to ponder about for the remaining league games of their ICC Cricket World Cup 2023. All-rounder Hardik Pandya is a key component in the Indian line-up – providing balance with both bat and ball but damage to his ankle is more severe than initially assumed after the India vs Bangladesh match in Pune last week.

Pandya twisted his ankle after bowling just three balls against Bangladesh at the MCA Stadium in Pune and didn’t travel with the Indian side to Dharamsala as a precaution and missed the next match against New Zealand – which India won by four wickets. It was earlier assumed that Pandya had minor injury and would just be sidelined for the one match.

However, according to ESPNCricinfo website, Pandya has ligament damage in his ankle. “He will undergo a fitness test on Thursday before the BCCI medical team decides on his return date,” the ESPNCricinfo report stated.

The Gujarat Titans captain has checked into National Cricket Academy (NCA) on Monday in Bengaluru for injury management.

“Hardik is still under medication. While the swelling on his left ankle has subsided considerably, he will start bowling only towards the weekend. Right now, important is to give him time to recover,” an NCA source told PTI news agency.

#HardikPandya has been ruled out of #INDvsENG match pic.twitter.com/XuNvJPT5aj — Doordarshan Sports (@ddsportschannel) October 25, 2023

Hardik Pandya could be rested till semifinals

Team India are in a strong position and are at the top of the Points Table currently with 5 wins in 5 matches. Rohit Sharma’s side are favourites to make the semifinal stage at this moment and the Indian team management could rest Hardik Pandya till the last four stage later next month.

“Pandya has suffered a bad sprain but fortunately not a fracture. The BCCI medical team wants to take maximum precaution. He is likely to miss next two to three matches. The team wants him fully fit for the knock-out stage,” added a BCCI source to PTI news agency.

India’s next match is against defending world champions England on Sunday in Lucknow followed by games against Sri Lanka in Mumbai on November 2 and match against South Africa in Kolkata on November 5.

In Pandya’s absence, Suryakumar Yadav was part of the Playing 11 alongside pacer Mohammad Shami – who claimed a five-wicket haul against New Zealand last Sunday. But with Lucknow track assisting the spinners traditionally, Ravichandran Ashwin could make a comeback and replace Mohammed Siraj in the side.