Hardik Pandya Rules Out for Indefinite Period Due to Injury

India’s first-choice all-rounder Hardik Pandya is going to miss the upcoming T20 International series against Bangladesh since his lower-back injury has forced him out of the game for a long period. According to the sources of BCCI, Hardik will soon travel to the United Kingdom for a further assessment of his injury, which was first sustained during the Asia Cup last September in Dubai.

He is one of the key players for India. However, another key player speedster Jasprit Bumrah has also been ruled out of the South Africa Test series due to stress fractures in his lower back.

“Hardik is also set to go the United Kingdom to consult the same doctor, who had treated him during the first injury post Asia Cup. He is certainly not playing the Bangladesh series but how long he will be out is still not clear. We will know after he comes back from the United Kingdom,” a senior BCCI source said to PTI.

However, Hardik Pandya may have to go for back surgery, which will keep him out for nearly five months.

“Hardik was left out of Test squad as he didn’t fit in the combinations. But then he is not in Baroda’s Vijay Hazare team led by Krunal (Pandya). Everyone is keeping their fingers crossed and hoping that he doesn’t need to go under the knife. Then he won’t be back before the 2020 IPL,” the source further added.

Pandya will be a vital cog of the team during the World T20 in Australia next year. In fact, the chairman of selectors MSK Prasad had also said that they are looking to use Hardik more in the white-ball format games, keeping the World T20 in mind.

Pandya has played 11 Tests, 54 ODIs and 40 T20I games where he has scored 532 runs, 937 runs and 310runs and taken 17 wickets, 54 wickets and 38 wickets respectively. His absence will certainly bother the team in the upcoming series.