Intro
India receives major boost as Hardik Pandya regains full fitness ahead.
Dharamshala
India all-rounder Hardik Pandya has been cleared to return to international cricket for the upcoming three-match ODI series against Afghanistan after successfully completing fitness assessments at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru.
The 32-year-old, who missed several IPL matches for Mumbai Indians due to recurring back spasms, has been undergoing rehabilitation and training at the CoE since June 2. According to BCCI sources, Pandya completed a series of match simulations over five days and bowled his full quota of 10 overs without any discomfort, a key indicator of his readiness for 50-over cricket.
Officials monitoring his progress confirmed that his fitness parameters were reviewed and approved by the Strength and Conditioning team at the CoE. The successful completion of his bowling workload comes as a major boost for the Indian team, which relies heavily on Pandya’s ability to contribute with both bat and ball.
Pandya remains a crucial component of India’s white-ball setup, providing balance through his pace bowling and aggressive finishing abilities in the lower middle order. His return is expected to strengthen India’s preparations ahead of a busy international calendar.
While it remains unclear whether Pandya will join the squad for an under-lights training session in Chandigarh or link up directly with the team in Dharamshala, his fitness clearance has effectively ended concerns surrounding his availability for the Afghanistan series.
Meanwhile, former India captain Rohit Sharma is also at the Centre of Excellence undergoing assessment for a hamstring niggle that sidelined him during several matches of the recent IPL season. Team management is expected to receive an update on Rohit’s condition in the coming days.
With Pandya now fit and available, India will be hopeful of fielding one of its strongest ODI combinations for the upcoming series.
