Hardik Pandya May Be Ruled Out of Afghanistan ODIs Due to Injury
Hardik had sustained injuries during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season while playing for the five-time champions Mumbai Indians
New Delhi: Star all-rounder Hardik Pandya has been ruled out of the upcoming three-match ODI series against Afghanistan due to an injury, sources confirmed to ANI.
India are scheduled to face Afghanistan in a three-match ODI series beginning in Dharamsala on June 13.
The second ODI will be played in Lucknow on June 17, while Chennai will host the final match on June 20.
According to sources, Pandya had earlier been declared fit by the CoE and had also submitted his fitness report to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) two days before the scheduled departure.
"He was declared fit by COE and sent his fitness report to the Board two days before, but after his final session before leaving COE, he had some issues about his fitness", a source told ANI.
Earlier, it was reported that senior players Rohit Sharma and Hardik's participation in the ODI series against Afghanistan remains dependent on fitness clearance from the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE).
For those unversed, Rohit and Hardik sustained injuries during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season while playing for the five-time champions Mumbai Indians.
The veteran opener Sharma has been recovering from a lingering hamstring issue, while the star all-rounder is undergoing treatment for persistent back spasms that sidelined him during the latter stages of IPL 2026.
Meanwhile, ace batter Virat Kohli was ruled out due to a hamstring injury, which he sustained during the IPL 2026 final, where the Royal Challengers Bengaluru successfully defended their title.
Providing an update on the former India captain, BCCI chief selector Ajit Agarkar said the exact recovery timeline is yet to be determined.
"With Virat at this point, I think it's just what has been less than a week since he injured himself in the final (IPL 2026), so they'll probably assess. We don't know the timelines yet, but it looks like he might be fit for that England ODI series. But again, it's not a definitive answer, so don't hold me to it. We haven't had a clear timeline from the physio yet," Agarkar said.
In place of Kohli, Yashasvi Jaiswal has been added to the ODI squad for the three-match series.
