New Delhi: After sitting out the India-Pakistan final at the just concluded Asia Cup due to an injury, will all-rounder Hardik Pandya be fit enough for the upcoming tour to Australia?
India has a busy schedule up ahead. It will host West Indies for a two-match Test series and then fly to Australia for a full-fledged white-ball series that will include three ODIs and five T20Is.
This series is being considered important for India as the T20I World Cup will be held in 2026 and the ODI World Cup in 2027. The ODIs against Australia will also decide the futures of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.
Kohli and Sharma haven’t played any international cricket in over six months and they will want to perform well in the Australia series as it will determine whether they will be in the squad till the 2027 World Cup.
Reports suggest that Pandya might be ruled out of the Australia ODIs. He picked up an injury in his left quadriceps during India’s Super Four clash against Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup. A report in Dainik Jagran states that the injury might rule Hardik out of the ODI series completely, but he might play a few T20Is later in the tour, depending on his recovery.
India has remained unbeaten this year, right from the England series to the Asia Cup. The ‘Men in Blue’ will look to maintain this streak even in the Australia series.
This tour to Australia starts on October 19 and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is expected to announce the squad soon. It is also being reported that Hardik’s fitness will be assessed during the tour.