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Right ahead of the World Cup clash against Sri Lanka, India skipper Rohit Sharma gave a big update on Hardik Pandya's possible return to Men in Blue's fold as the star all-rounder is currently nursing an injury which he picked during Bangladesh match on October 19.
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In a recent pre-match press conference on Wednesday, November 1, captain Rohit, without putting a timeline on Hardik's comeback, said that the all-rounder is well on his course of recovery at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) and termd it ‘very positive’.
After sustaining an ankle injury in the clash against Bangladesh in Pune, Hardik went on to miss the subsequent matches against New Zealand in Dharamsala on October 22 and then against England as he had to extend his stay at the NCA in Bengaluru after evaluations revealed a minor tear in his ankle, necessitating a longer recovery period.
On the eve of the India versus Sri Lanka, Rohit said, "It's been very positive, I can't call it rehab. But whatever he has gone through, the procedures at the NCA, it's been quite positive." This statement, however, was followed by the confirmation that Pandya would not be part of the playing squad against Sri Lanka on November 2nd.
Sharma further explained the complexities surrounding the injury, saying, "But it's that kind of an injury where we have to see every day how much he has recovered and how many percent fit he is. We have to constantly monitor how much he is bowling and how much he is batting. On a day-to-day basis, we have to take that call because, in the World Cup, there is a match every 3-4 days. We are looking into that as well. With the way his recovery is progressing, we will hopefully see him on the field soon. That's all I can say now."
Based on reports from the PTI, Pandya might also miss the upcoming clash against South Africa in Kolkata on November 5. However, there are hopes for his potential return in the match against the Netherlands in Bengaluru on November 11.
In Hardik's absence, Suryakumar Yadav and Mohammed Shami have been filling his void both in batting and bowling with Shardul Thakur being left out.
Currently, India are still unbeaten in the ongoing ODI World Cup as they have won six matches straight to sit on top of the points table. A victory against Sri Lanka could further cement their place in the semi-finals of the World Cup 2023.
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