Hardik Pandya Likely to Miss England ODIs After Fresh Injury Setback
Hardik Pandya’s long-awaited return to ODI cricket has suffered another setback after the star all-rounder picked up a fresh injury just days before India’s upcoming ODI series against Afghanistan. Having spent a week training at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru, Pandya was reportedly close to completing his comeback before an unfortunate twist halted his plans.
According to a report by The Times of India, the 32-year-old sustained a quadricep strain just hours before he was scheduled to leave for Dharamsala. The injury has ruled him out of the Afghanistan ODI series and cast doubt over his participation in India’s ODI tour of England next month. Pandya has not played an ODI since India’s victory over New Zealand in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 final.
Pandya had checked into the Centre of Excellence on June 2, not for rehabilitation but to make use of its world-class training facilities ahead of the Afghanistan series. With Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium occupied by the T20 Mumbai League, the all-rounder opted to prepare in Bengaluru, where he had access to specialist coaches, advanced fitness monitoring systems, net bowlers and side-arm throwdown experts.
The all-rounder reportedly completed several high-intensity training sessions, including bowling workloads, match simulations and fitness assessments. His progress had impressed the medical staff, and he was preparing to travel with the Indian squad before the injury scare emerged. A source familiar with the development said, “Everything was progressing according to plan and Hardik had responded well to the workload. The setback came at the last moment.”
However, shortly before his scheduled departure, Pandya felt discomfort in his quadricep and immediately informed the medical team. Further scans were conducted and later reviewed by renowned sports surgeon Dr Dinshaw Pardiwala. The results confirmed a quadricep strain, with doctors recommending a recovery period of at least two weeks before he can return to full cricket activities.
England Series Participation in Doubt
For now, Pandya will remain at the Centre of Excellence under the supervision of the BCCI medical staff. “The focus is on a gradual return. He will begin with light jogging and controlled running before progressing to full-intensity training sessions,” a source was quoted as saying. The board is keen to ensure that he does not suffer a recurrence of the injury by rushing back too early.
The injury has also raised concerns over his availability for the ODI series against England, which begins on July 14. While the current recovery timeline suggests he could regain fitness in time, selectors are expected to closely monitor his rehabilitation before finalizing the squad. “A final decision will depend on how he responds over the next couple of weeks,” another source stated.
Pandya remains a key part of India’s ODI plans heading into next year’s major ICC events, with the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee viewing him as a crucial all-round option in the 50-over format. To manage his workload effectively, his involvement in T20I cricket is expected to remain limited. As a result, the coming weeks will be crucial in determining whether the star all-rounder can overcome yet another injury setback and make a timely return to international cricket.
India Tour of England 2026 Schedule
| Date | Time (IST) | Match | Venue | City |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 July 2026 (Wed) | 22:00 | 1st T20I | Riverside Ground | Chester-le-Street |
| 4 July 2026 (Sat) | 19:00 | 2nd T20I | Old Trafford | Manchester |
| 7 July 2026 (Tue) | 22:00 | 3rd T20I | Trent Bridge | Nottingham |
| 9 July 2026 (Thu) | 22:00 | 4th T20I | Seat Unique Stadium | Bristol |
| 11 July 2026 (Sat) | 19:00 | 5th T20I | The Rose Bowl | Southampton |
| 14 July 2026 (Tue) | 15:30 | 1st ODI | Edgbaston | Birmingham |
| 16 July 2026 (Thu) | 17:30 | 2nd ODI | Sophia Gardens | Cardiff |
| 19 July 2026 (Sun) | 15:30 | 3rd ODI | Lord's Cricket Ground | London |
India T20I Squad vs England 2026
Batters
- Shreyas Iyer (Captain)
- Tilak Varma (Vice-Captain)
- Vaibhav Sooryavanshi
- Abhishek Sharma
All-Rounders
- Axar Patel
- Nitish Kumar Reddy
- Washington Sundar
- Shivam Dube
Wicketkeepers
- Ishan Kishan (WK)
- Sanju Samson (WK)
Bowlers
- Harshit Rana
- Prince Yadav
- Arshdeep Singh
- Varun Chakaravarthy
- Prasidh Krishna
- Ravi Bishnoi
Note: India's ODI squad is yet to be announced and will be updated once officially confirmed.