Ahead of the upcoming three-match T20I series between Afghanistan and India, which will be played in Delhi, India, all-rounder Hardik Pandya has reportedly suffered another injury scare while completing his rehab at the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru.

According to a Times of India report, Hardik Pandya had ticked all the right boxes during his stint at the BCCI facility, but the recent roadblock could well make him unavailable for selection for the upcoming Afghanistan T20Is.

The selectors are scheduled to convene this week to choose the team for the T20I series, which begins on September 13 in New Delhi. They will shortly receive an update on the players' level of fitness while they recuperate in Bengaluru.

“Hardik Pandya was operating at full intensity without any discomfort, but he has been advised to pause bowling due to a leg issue. He will resume soon, but the Afghanistan series is too close to reach the required fitness levels. Batting and movement-wise, there wasn't any significant issue, but the CoE needs to be completely convinced before giving an all-clear," a source told Times of India.

Pandya last played competitive cricket in the IPL 2026, where he led the Mumbai Indians (MI) franchise. Additionally, his last appearance for Men in Blue came on March 8 in the T20 World Cup final.

Since then, he has missed the white-ball series at home against Afghanistan and the tours of Ireland and England. He was supposed to return to India's colours for Afghanistan ODIs but suffered a late relapse with a low-grade quadriceps sprain just before the series.