India’s two-time T20 World Cup and Champions Trophy 2025-winning all-rounder Hardik Pandya is set to spend more time on the sidelines as he is yet to regain full match fitness. Last month, Hardik was expected to play his first game since the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 in India A’s home One-Day fixture against Australia A. The List A series would give a fairer idea of whether he will be fit for the New Zealand tour. But his participation was subject to fitness. He was eventually ruled out of the India A series with Suryansh Shedge named as his replacement. Now, there is a high possibility that Hardik misses the home white-ball series against Sri Lanka and the three-ODI series against Zimbabwe next year.
As per a report by Dainik Jagran, Hardik is currently recovering from a stress injury on the inner side of his shin. He has been at the Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru for a few months now. The report says Hardik will resume jogging in three weeks. And then eight weeks after, he will start running. His running workload will be built up gradually. There is no deadline for when he will be able to achieve match-ready fitness.
After India's tour of New Zealand, they will play three ODIs and as many T20Is against Sri Lanka at home from December 13 to December 27. Early in next year, India will host Zimbabwe for a three-ODI series, which will take place from January 3 to January 9. During this time, domestic white-ball tournaments Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) 2026 and Vijay Hazare Trophy 2026-27 will conclude as well. India’s next assignment will be the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2027 at home. Hardik doesn’t play Test cricket anyway, so his comeback game is likely to be in the IPL 2027.
Hardik’s IPL future
Hardik had a tough run as Mumbai Indians (MI) captain and a player in the IPL 2026. There were reports that he has made up his mind to move on from the franchise. The rumours of Hardik trade were rife, but there is no fresh update yet, with just a few weeks to go until the deadline to announce retained players, which is on November 15. It was also reported that Rajasthan Royals (RR) can be Hardik’s third IPL franchise with Yashasvi Jaiswal moving to MI. But nothing is concrete yet. Whether Hardik will don the blue and gold or move on to another franchise, there is no confirmation.
When was Hardik Pandya's previous competitive cricket appearance?
Hardik made his previous competitive cricket appearance in the IPL 2026 fixture against MI on May 24, where he scored 34 runs and did not bowl a single over. MI lost the match by 30 runs at home.
The last time he played a T20I was in the T20 World Cup 2026 final against New Zealand in Ahmedabad. He hasn't played ODI cricket since the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 against New Zealand.
Who is Hardik’s replacement?
In T20Is, Nitish Kumar Reddy has been doing the role for Hardik. In nine T20Is, he has bagged 10 wickets, averaging 20.80 and an economy rate of just over nine runs per over. As a batter, he has been getting chances down the order. He was considered for the role in ODIs as well, but an injury ruled him out of the UK tour and Zimbabwe.
Suryansh Shedge has been identified as another fast-bowling all-rounder. Shedge has played a T20I each against Ireland, England and Zimbabwe, but he is yet to take a wicket. Then an injury sidelined him. At CoE, he got to meet Hardik and got advice to perfect his stock delivery. He was named as Hardik’s replacement in the India A squad. He bagged five wickets against Australia A, including a four-fer. He scored a half-century as well. He did not get a place in either of the white-ball squads for the New Zealand tour.
In spin-friendly conditions, India have also identified Naman Dhir as an all-rounder. Dhir made his ODI and T20I debut against West Indies. With Washington Sundar focused on red-ball cricket leading up to the two-Test series, Dhir has retained his place in both squads.
Why is Hardik’s absence concerning for India?
Hardik is a rare genuine pace-bowling all-rounder. In the seam-friendly conditions of South Africa, where the majority of ODI World Cup 2027 will be played, Hardik would have added depth to India’s batting. Also, he is someone who can trouble batters with his pace and bounce.
India head coach Gautam Gambhir has already said that he does not want to take a half-cooked Hardik to the World Cup. He acknowledged the balance Hardik brings into the side but wants the all-rounder to be in rhythm instead of taking risks with selection at last moment.
“Game time going into the World Cup is going to be extremely, extremely important. You cannot go there half-cooked. So you should have enough game time, your rhythm should be so good, because going to the World Cup, there are no ifs and buts,” he explained.
Hardik does not possess a good ODI record in South Africa with four wickets and just 61 runs (from four innings) in six games. However, these numbers are from the 2018 tour, and he has evolved as an all-rounder since.
India’s white-ball squads for New Zealand tour -
India’s ODI squad for the first three ODIs: Shubman Gill (c), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer (vc), KL Rahul (wk), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, Naman Dhir, Anshul Kamboj, Gurnoor Brar, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Arshdeep Singh, Ishan Kishan (wk), Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna*, Kuldeep Yadav
India’s ODI squad for fourth and fifth ODIs: Shreyas Iyer (c), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Tilak Varma, Ishan Kishan (c & wk), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, Naman Dhir, Auqib Nabi, Gurnoor Brar, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Arshdeep Singh, Kumar Kushagra (wk), Mohammed Siraj, Yash Thakur, Kuldeep Yadav.
India’s T20I squad: Shreyas Iyer (c), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wk), Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Ishan Kishan (wk), Tilak Varma (vc), Axar Patel, Shivam Dube, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Naman Dhir, Prince Yadav, Mayank Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Varun Chakaravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav.