Hardik Pandya is one of the most integral parts of the Indian white-ball setup. The all-rounder was part of the World Cup 2023 and played the first four matches. But unfortunately, he suffered an ankle injury during a match against Bangladesh in Pune.
The all-rounder twisted his ankle and was ruled out of the competition. His injury forced him to stay away from the T20I series against Australia and South Africa, respectively. But it looks like his return is still very far away. He is currently at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru for his rehab.
Hardik has suffered multiple injuries in the past, and he is very injury-prone. He was expected to lead India in the coming white-ball leg of the South Africa tour, but he hasn’t recovered completely. Hence, the selectors didn’t pick him. Notably, after this tour, India will host England for a five-match test series.
Hardik is not on the test side, which means he will have another extended break from the game. However, some media reports confirm that the BCCI and NCA are not in a hurry to rush him in and want to give him more time.
As per a media report by CricketNext, the BCCI, along with the NCA, has prepared an 18-week-long high-performance program for Hardik, with the T20 World Cup 2024 coming up. The upcoming ICC event will take place in the USA and the West Indies in June.
Hardik has already started following the long rehab program. A source confirmed, “We speak of workload management. This is precisely what it is all about. Is there doubt about his ability as a T20 cricketer? No, what we rather need is setting long-term goals and ensuring endurance levels remain up to the mark.”
This rehab program was also applied to Jasprit Bumrah, Shreyas Iyer, and KL Rahul during their injuries. However, it means that the all-rounder will be out of action for at least 4 months more. He might make a return during the upcoming IPL 2024.
